A Prayer about the Antidote to Shame

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

A Prayer about the Antidote to Shame

God of Delight,

We confess, we often cower in shame rather than enjoying and glorifying you. 

This verse gives us a hint about how our crippling shame has been overcome.

We suffer from shame over our sin: the real guilt we should feel about our attempts to rule your universe, our attempts to steal glory for ourselves, our attempts to find security and significance in anything other than you. 

We suffer from shame over others’ harm: the neighborhood bully who called us “fatty” in front of our friends, the teacher or coach or babysitter who made inappropriate sexual comments, the parents who never seemed satisfied with B’s on our report card…

Help us to see that we have a potent antidote to this nagging shame we feel: 

Joy. 

Jesus, the “founder and perfecter of our faith,” 

“Endured the cross, despising the shame”— how? 

“For the joy set before him” (Hebrews 12:2)

What was that joy? Jesus enjoyed you, and he knew you enjoyed him. Jesus enjoyed completing the mission you had sent him on—to bring your people home to you. He endured the cross, despising the shame because he knew that in his death the shame of our sin would be forever conquered. He knew that in his death and resurrection, our shame would be forever covered as we would be robed in his righteousness. 

Help us to grasp this incredibly good news, Lord. Help us to turn away from our shame, whether true or false, and turn toward Jesus. Help us to embrace your joy in your new creation; help us to enjoy your enjoyment of us, and help us to simply enjoy you as the delightful and delighting Creator and Redeemer that you are.

In Jesus’ joy-full name. Amen. 

Read Hebrews 12:1-2; John 17:1-5; Luke 2:10; Philippians 4:4. 

A Prayer about Radically Good News

by | May 24, 2021 | Daily Prayer, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Radically Good News

Lord,

On this Monday, draw us to your Word to pray with Paul,

to pray for those we love and those we need to love, 

that the “truth of the Good News” about Jesus Christ 

would radically change the way we live.

By your Holy Spirit, may the Good News 

give us a stunning love for others (Colossians 1:7).

By your Holy Spirit, may the Good News 

give us “spiritual wisdom and understanding” 

and a “complete knowledge of God’s will” (Colossians 1:9).

By your Holy Spirit, may the Good News 

lead us to “honor and please the Lord” 

and to “produce every kind of good fruit” (Colossians 1:10).

By your Holy Spirit, 

may this Good News “strengthen us with all his glorious power” 

so we “will have all the endurance and patience” we need. 

Finally, by your Holy Spirit, 

may the Good News 

fill us “with joy,” today and every day of this week, 

and may we be found “thanking the Father,” 

whatever our circumstances (Colossians 1:11-12). 

In Jesus’ supreme name. Amen.

Read Colossians 1:1-12.

A Prayer about a Love like No Other

by | May 23, 2021 | Church, Daily Prayer, Gospel living

A Prayer about a Love like No Other

Ever-loving Father,

Wow us with this amazing news today! 

You have called us your children, 

and we really have become your children. 

Do we realize that this changes everything? 

Yes, it’s true, the world cannot understand 

why we spend half our Sundays at church worshiping you, 

because they can’t see that it’s a family reunion, 

that we are all gathered together as your children 

(and that we actually kind of get along even when we don’t) 

because you first loved us, 

and we want to tell you how much we love you (see 1 John 3:1; 4:19).

Even more amazingly, 

not only did you love us 

and adopt us as your children 

and give us an amazing inheritance, 

you are growing us up to be just like Jesus: 

“…but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, 

because we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).

Oh Lord, multiply our joy today with this good news!

Oh Lord, hasten the day when we see our Savior 

and become like him.

In Jesus’ transforming name. Amen. 

Read 1 John 3:1-2; 4:7-19.

A Prayer about Not Worrying

by | May 21, 2021 | Daily Prayer, Prayer, Suffering

A Prayer about Not Worrying

Good Father,

Once, after a hurricane, 

a friend told me how she handled her worry 

that her seventy-year-old house 

would be destroyed: 

“I stayed inside and thought happy thoughts.” 

There’s nothing wrong with thinking happy thoughts, 

but you have given us a much better antidote to the worry and fear 

that plague us during seasons of crisis: 

Prayer. 

Rejoicing in you, 

because that turns our thoughts 

toward your delight in us and our hope in that delight (Philippians 4:4).

Presenting our requests to you, 

because that acknowledges our utter helplessness, 

your supreme power,

and your good, Fatherly care for us (Philippians 4:6).

Thanking you, because that reminds us 

of how you have saved us in the past 

and points us toward 

how you will rescue us in the future (Philippians 4:6).

Lord, today, when worry creeps in, 

turn our hearts toward you in prayer, 

that we may know the peace 

that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

In Jesus’ peace-bringing name.

Amen.

Read Philippians 4:4-9.

A Prayer about God’s Many-Splendored Creation

by | May 20, 2021 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living

A Prayer about God’s Many-Splendored Creation

Creator and Redeemer,

Thank you for the cheeping and chirping of the birds all around, 

for the carmine-winged cardinal hunched over her nest nearby, 

for the black-capped chickadees shadowed by the crape myrtles, 

for the yellow-beaked Harris’ hawk perched on the neighbor’s fence…

As we study this natural world, 

we see how many-fold are your works! 

You have made them all in your wisdom. 

You have filled the earth with your creatures, 

the most exquisite of which are your many-splendored people, 

people of every imaginable hue, 

people of every age, 

people of every nation. 

Even as we hear the chorus of creation singing your majesty, 

draw us eagerly toward the day 

when we will join together 

with all of our brothers and sisters 

and all of the birds and trees 

and the wind and the waves 

to sing and dance to the rhythm of your glory

forever and ever. 

In Jesus’ unifying name. Amen. 

Read Psalm 104:1-35.

A Prayer about Enjoying Our Gifts

by | May 17, 2021 | Daily Prayer, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Enjoying Our Gifts

Father,

We live in such a mixed-up world, 

where too often we envy gifts other people have 

(oh, she’s such a good hostess, 

he’s so good at fixing things, 

she’s so smart, 

he’s such a good dad)…

And yet, you say 

that you gave each one of us different gifts 

through your Holy Spirit — 

things like 

“wise counsel, clear understanding, simple trust, 

healing the sick, miraculous acts, proclamation, 

distinguishing between spirits, tongues, 

interpretation of tongues” (1 Corinthians 12:8-10). 

And you say that these gifts 

are for the building up of your kingdom. 

Help us, Lord, to thank you 

for the gifts you have given us 

and to deploy those gifts for the good of others 

and for your glory. 

In Jesus’ unifying name. Amen. 

Read 1 Corinthians 12:1-11.