A Prayer about Finding True Justice

by | Sep 19, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living

A Prayer about Finding True Justice

How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Psalm 82:2

Judge of the Earth,

All it took me was a stint on jury duty 

to realize how poorly qualified 

I am to serve on a jury. 

I want to believe I could be fair and impartial, 

to believe the defendant is innocent until proven guilty. 

And yet, I know in my heart how quickly 

I can jump to conclusions, 

how quickly I can judge another, 

how I think I know the whole story when I don’t. 

Help me to relinquish my daily “jury duty” to you, 

the judge of the earth.

You see the intentions of the heart perfectly.

You defend the weak and the fatherless.

You uphold the cause of the poor and oppressed.

You rescue the weak and the needy.

You deliver the weak and the needy 

from the hand of the wicked (Psalm 82:3-4). 

And through Jesus, who died 

so that we may be acquitted for our sins, 

you have called and empowered us to be like you. 

Send us out into this broken world 

to love the weak and needy as you do. 

In Jesus’ sacrificial name. Amen.

Read Psalm 82:1-8. 

A Prayer about the One God Who Unites Diverse People

by | Sep 18, 2022 | Gospel living, Scripture

A Prayer about the One God Who Unites Diverse People

 In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, ‘Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.’ -Isaiah 19:24–25 (ESV)

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

Isaiah stunned the Israelites 

by prophesying that fierce enemies, 

Egypt, Assyria, and Israel, 

would one day be blessed and gathered by you 

as one people to worship and glorify you.

You, diverse in person and yet wholly one God, 

united in purpose, 

have spread your glory over all the earth. 

You have reconciled sinners to yourself, 

you are redeeming the entire cosmos, 

and you are healing every division.

If the Egyptians and Assyrians and Israelites 

will one day gather together to worship you, 

surely we can move beyond 

political, racial, economic, and even theological differences 

to worship and glorify your name. 

Make us one as you are One, Holy Trinity.

In Jesus’ reuniting name. Amen. 

Read Isaiah 19:23-24; Galatians 3:7-9; Ephesians 2:11-22; Revelation 7:9-10.

A Prayer about a Craving for God’s Word

by | Sep 17, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Scripture

A Prayer about a Craving for God’s Word

More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Psalm 19:10.

Author God,

We confess, 

we spend so much time reading, watching, and listening 

to stuff that fills us like cotton candy, 

leaving us empty and irritable thirty minutes later. 

Help us to put the screens aside 

that we might develop a craving for your Word. 

Unlike much of what we read in our feeds today, 

your Word is perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, true, and righteous,:

It revives the soul;

It makes wise the simple (Ps. 19:7);

It leads the heart to rejoice;

It enlightens the eyes (Ps. 19:8);

It keeps us from sin;

It rewards those who keep it (Ps. 19:11);

It endures forever (Ps. 19:9). 

Seed in us a craving for your Word, 

so that when we consume some, 

we crave more. 

For indeed, your Word shows us the hope of salvation in Jesus, 

the only hope we have to be 

“declared innocent from hidden faults; 

kept back from presumptuous sins” (Ps. 19:3).

As we consume your Word, Lord, 

may it change the words we speak, 

the thoughts we think, 

so that our thoughts and words will be “acceptable in your sight” (Ps. 19:14).

In the name of the Living Word, Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Read Psalm 19.  

A Prayer about Our To-Not-Do List for Today

by | Sep 15, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living

A Prayer about Our To-Not-Do List for Today

You shall not murder. Exodus 20:13

Lord God,

Thank you for placing these verses 

in Exodus in front of me 

and the accompanying Heidelberg catechism question and answer 105: 

What does God require in the sixth commandment?

“I am not 

to belittle, 

hate, 

insult, 

or kill my neighbor, 

not by 

my thoughts, 

my words, 

my look, 

my gesture, 

and certainly not 

by actual deeds. 

I am not 

to be party to this 

in others. 

I am to put away 

all desires for revenge.”

It’s sobering to read these words, Lord, 

to be faced with how many ways 

we murder our neighbor 

every single day all throughout the day.

We cry out, “Wretched people that we are! 

Who will deliver us from this body of death?”

“Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord….

There is therefore now no condemnation 

for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 7:24, 8:1).

Draw us to quick repentance, Lord, 

when we murder our neighbor. 

By your transforming Spirit, 

change us into people 

who “act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly” 

with you and with others (Micah 6:2). 

Help us to “love one another” 

and to “outdo one another in showing honor” (Romans 12:10). 

In your forgiving name. Amen.

Read Leviticus 19:1; Exodus 20:1-17; Matthew 5:21-22.

A Prayer about What Makes Us Most Happy

by | Sep 14, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Joy, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about What Makes Us Most Happy

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3

King Jesus,

In the seven beatitudes (beatus means “blessed” or “happy” in Latin), 

you gave us many characteristics of the happy ambassador, 

but you began with “poor in spirit,” 

or, as Eugene Peterson paraphrases it, 

“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope.”

Lord, we confess, we don’t like being “at the end of our rope.” 

We don’t want to be poor, 

whether in spirit or financially. 

We don’t want to be seen as weak or needy 

nor do we want to be weak or needy. 

We don’t really like to struggle; 

we prefer, especially as Christians, 

to have it all together. 

And yet, we know 

that you are the one 

“in whom all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17). 

Humble us, Lord, and help us to acknowledge 

how desperate we really are. 

Help us to acknowledge 

our ongoing, daily battle with sin and selfishness. 

Help us to acknowledge 

that we’ve made some big messes 

in our families and friendships 

and work and churches. 

Help us to acknowledge 

that we’re weary 

and not sure how long we can keep going. 

Help us to lay every sin and sorrow before you, 

the One who came to envelop us 

in a state of rest and peace and happiness 

that lasts forever. 

Such is the joy of knowing your help for the desperate. 

So very gratefully we pray. Amen.

Read Matthew 5:1-12.

A Prayer about Being a Comfort to Ministry Leaders

by | Sep 13, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Leadership, Suffering

A Prayer about Being a Comfort to Ministry Leaders

This is the fourth of four days praying through Colossians. Read yesterday’s here: 

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Remember my chains. Colossians 3:18

Jesus, Great Shepherd of the Sheep,

As we read the apostle Paul’s closing instructions to the Colossians, 

we can’t miss his reminder, 

which he mentions twice, 

that he is in chains. 

He has told the Colossians 

the good news of the gospel: 

they have died with Christ, 

been raised with Christ, 

are rooted in Christ, 

and are hidden in Christ. 

Now they and we can live in peace, 

in tenderness, 

in mercy. 

Now he encourages them and us 

to pray. 

We must pray for all who are ministers of the gospel:

preachers, teachers, youth workers, 

children’s and women’s ministry directors. 

We pray that we would not in any way imprison them, 

that we would speak to them 

and about them 

as we are directed to speak to everyone—

wisely, graciously, kindly (Col. 4:5-6). 

May we be faithful brothers and sisters, 

people like Tychicus, Onesimus, and Aristarchus, 

comforting our ministry leaders 

in trying and bewildering times (Col. 4:7-11), 

working with our ministry leaders 

for the glory of the Kingdom of God (Col. 4:7-12). 

May we “pray earnestly” like Epaphras 

for the good of our church, 

asking God to help the whole church 

follow the will of God (Col. 4:12-13). 

And may we always remember their chains, 

remember that our ministry leaders 

suffer for the sake of the glory of God. 

In your shepherding name. Amen.

Read Colossians 4.