A Prayer about Being Perfect

by | Jun 28, 2021 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living

A Prayer about Being Perfect

Heavenly Father, 

As a recovering perfectionist, 

I confess, this verse always makes me anxious 

when I first read it.

But then I reread Dr. Doriani’s commentary on Matthew, 

and he reminds me, 

the command is also a promise as phrased in Greek, 

“You shall be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.”

As he says, the word “perfect” also reveals 

how completely inadequate we are 

to live out Jesus’ commands 

apart from his mercy and grace 

operating in our lives. 

The word “perfect” means “mature and complete,” 

but we know we’re nowhere near 

as mature and complete as God is, 

so it must be a process. 

Indeed,

becoming mature and complete 

takes a lifetime of your sanctifying work 

through the Spirit. 

Becoming mature and complete 

doesn’t mean “work harder”; 

it means “depend on God more,” 

because you are the God 

who makes new selves out of old selves (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Becoming mature and complete 

doesn’t mean “never make a mistake”; 

it means “run to God 

with all of your mistakes, 

weaknesses, and sin.” 

To be perfect

is to trust in you alone 

to finish the good work 

you began in us in Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6). 

In Jesus’ perfecting name. Amen.

Read Matthew 5:17-48; Philippians 3:12-16.

A Prayer about Rehearsing for Our Wedding Day

by | Jun 25, 2021 | Church, Daily Prayer

A Prayer about Rehearsing for Our Wedding Day

Lord Jesus

In this wedding season,

may every celebration 

of a man and woman being joined together 

lead us to dream of the day 

when we, your church, 

will become your ready bride, 

clothed “with fine linen, bright and pure” (Revelation 19:8). 

Today we may wrestle 

with the split of sin and the fracture of the fall, 

but the day is coming when, 

nourished and cherished by  you, 

our perfect bridegroom, 

we will be fully sanctified. 

Even today, by your gracious work in us, 

we are becoming more united 

in thought, word, and deed. 

Even today, by your gracious work in us, 

we are learning to delight fully 

in receiving your love 

and in sharing that love with others (Ephesians 5:25-27). 

As we gather for worship every week, 

may we remember that this is just a rehearsal—

one day we will join all of our fellow saints 

in a wildly wonderful wedding march. 

What a glorious day that will be!

In your cherished and cherishing name we pray. Amen. 

Read Revelation 19:6-9; Ephesians 5:25-33.

A Prayer about Feeling Anger

by | Jun 23, 2021 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living

A Prayer about Feeling Anger

Faithful Lord,

Thank you for feelings. 

We confess, too many of us have mistakenly believed 

that Christians aren’t supposed to feel feelings, 

especially negative ones. 

And yet, your word is filled with feelings, 

yes, even negative ones: 

sorrow, lament, anger, confusion. 

Forgive us for not listening carefully.

It is true—anger can be a knee-jerk response 

after a hot and exhausting day 

of touring a new city. 

It can be thoughtless and mean.

And yet, it might be a clue — 

to our sin or to another’s. 

It might reveal deep harm to your image in us. 

That’s why anger should make us pause. 

Lead us to ask you and ourselves, 

“Why am I feeling so angry?” 

Help us to stay silent for the moment 

so we can hear your answer. 

It may take more than one night, 

but if we keep coming back to you 

every day with our anger, 

pursuing you in our anger, 

anger will not control us—

it won’t make us bitter, 

it won’t lead us to destroy others. 

Lord, only by your grace 

can we feel our anger 

and allow it to take us to healthier places—

choosing to remain silent 

or choosing to engage in healthy conflict; 

choosing to ask forgiveness

or choosing to forgive. 

Read Psalm 4; Ephesians 4:26-27.

A Prayer about Kindness to Strangers

by | Jun 21, 2021 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living

A Prayer about Kindness to Strangers

Gracious Lord, 

Many of us have known 

the undeserved kindness of a stranger. 

Someone we didn’t know brought us a meal 

when our loved one when was in the hospital; 

a kind grandmotherly woman 

picked up our toddler’s tossed bottle in Target 

and handed it back to us smiling with empathy; 

a fellow traveler helped us get our suitcase into the overhead bin 

when we were clearly struggling. 

As bright and lovely as these kindnesses are, 

they pale in comparison to the kindness you have shown us, 

those estranged from you by sin.

Through your Son, you have extended us forgiving welcome.

You have fed our hunger on the body of Christ; 

you have quenched our thirst with his blood, the wine. 

Empowered by your grace to us, 

may we extend your kindness to strangers:

feeding the hungry, 

giving drink to the thirsty, 

clothing the naked, 

and visiting the sick and imprisoned (Matthew 25:35-36).

In Jesus’ welcoming name.

Amen.

Read Matthew 25:31-46.

A Prayer about Insecurity

by | Jun 19, 2021 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living

A Prayer about Insecurity

Mighty Lord,

We admit, insecurity drives 

many of our worst words 

and much of our wretched worry. 

Because we feel insecure about whether we are loved, 

we harshly judge others, 

typing out or shouting out 

slashing words and witty put-downs. 

Forgive us.

Because we feel insecure 

about our health, finances, jobs, and relationships, 

we worry and fret. 

Forgive us.

Draw us to live out of this hopeful reality:

In Christ, we are your beloved.

In Christ, we are secured 

in your love, your protection, your faithfulness, 

your good plan for us. 

In Christ, we can rest, 

for you are the High God, 

and you surround us, 

not just for one moment, 

but for every moment.

In Christ, we can rest, 

for you are the High God, 

the strong God, 

the surpassing God, 

who defeats any and every enemy 

who would assail us.

May we live out of this security, 

risking love and risking life 

because of who you are. 

In Jesus’ loving and lovely name. Amen.

Read Deuteronomy 33:12; James 3:3-6; Matthew 6:25-34.

A Prayer about Strength in Abiding

by | Jun 16, 2021 | Bible study, Daily Prayer, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Strength in Abiding

Lord Jesus,

It’s not a word we use very often these days: 

“abide.” 

I even had to look it up. 

It turns out we mostly use it to mean “tolerate,” 

as in, “I can’t abide kale,” 

which is pretty clearly not what you meant 

when you used it nine times in John 15. 

According to Merriam-Webster.com, 

it means to “remain stable or fixed in a state.”

We are to abide in you as a branch is fixed firmly to the vine. 

When we abide in you, 

we bear much fruit. 

When we don’t abide in you, 

we can do “nothing,” 

because our efforts are fruitless (John 15:4-5).

We are to abide in your love 

and in your commandments (John 15:9-10), 

which stabilize and center us in a world 

where love often comes and goes 

like daily tides on the shore.

Your words are to abide in us, 

and when they do, 

they so fix us to your will 

that we pray for the things you pray for, 

especially that our Father may be glorified (John 15:7-8). 

Today, Lord Jesus, fix us to you like super-glue.

that we may bear the fruit of loving one another, 

so that others too may know and abide 

in your love and mercy (John 15:16-17).  

In your abiding name. Amen.

Read John 15:1-17.