A Prayer about Blessing the Lord at All Times

by | Jan 8, 2023 | Daily Prayer, gratitude, worship, gratitude

A Prayer about Blessing the Lord at All Times

I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1

Gracious Lord,

We join David today in proclaiming your goodness:

May we bless you at all times—

times when we’ve acted supremely foolish, 

times when we are crushed in spirit, 

times when we are lost and afraid, 

not just times when you’ve blessed us 

with a new car 

or a new boyfriend 

or a new job. 

In all times, 

may we share our uncontainable awe 

at your greatness.

For indeed, with David we can affirm, 

We sought you, and you answered us,

And delivered us from all our fears—

fears of being rejected by our friends or family, 

fears of illness and death, 

fears of being unimportant or irrelevant (Psalm 34:4).

As we take in your glory, 

something amazing happens—

our faces begin to radiate with your dazzling light, 

and where we would have previously hidden in shame, 

We now turn that fiery light outward, 

and shame shrivels and withers away. 

Oh, Lord, indeed, we bless your name. 

You have saved us from all our fear and shame.

In Jesus’ praiseworthy name. Amen. 

Read Psalm 34:1-5. 

A Prayer about the Rising Son of Righteousness

by | Dec 20, 2022 | Advent, Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, Seasons & Holidays, worship, gratitude

A Prayer about the Rising Son of Righteousness

But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. Malachi 4:2

Lord Jesus,

By this time in the Christmas season, 

we’ve probably sung “Hark the herald angels sing” 

around 20-30 times, 

depending on our playlists. 

One of my favorite lines is, 

“Hail the Sun of Righteousness! 

Light and life to all He brings, 

Risen with healing in His wings.” 

But sometimes we sing 

without knowing what it means. 

After all, we know Jesus isn’t an angel, 

and he doesn’t have wings. 

But then we remember the poetic allusion 

to Jesus in Malachi, and things fall into place. 

The image of the rising sun with its wings 

(rays spreading throughout the earth) 

was also used by Isaiah 

to describe God’s glory 

rising over the earth: 

“but the Lord will arise upon you, 

and his glory will be seen by you” (Isaiah 60:2). 

Oh, Lord Jesus, 

how we need your light to come, 

your glory to spread over us! 

We long for the freedom of forgiveness 

that truly heals our hearts, minds, and bodies; 

we long for the healing 

that fills us with the kind of joy 

that sends us bounding about like calves 

leaping from their stalls (Malachi 4:2). 

How we look forward to the day 

when you return 

and your glory covers the earth 

and your healing is complete.

In your righteous name. Amen.

Read Malachi 4:1-3; Isaiah 60:1-3. 

Get Elizabeth’s Advent devotional for free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/34no8c805q.

A Prayer about the Lord’s Majesty, Might, and Mercy

by | Dec 11, 2022 | Advent, Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, Seasons & Holidays, worship, gratitude

A Prayer about the Lord’s Majesty, Might, and Mercy

And Mary said, My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior Luke 1:46-47

Majestic Lord,

we join with Mary in magnifying you, 

in proclaiming your greatness.

Indeed, you are mighty, 

and you have done great things for us, 

and your name is holy (Luke 1:49).

Your mercy is for us who fear you; 

your mercy continues through the generations 

to all who live in awe of you (Luke 1:50).

You have “shown strength with your arm, 

“scattering the proud 

and bringing down the mighty 

from their thrones” (Luke 1: 52).

You have filled “the hungry with good things” 

and sent those who think they are rich away, empty, 

because they refused to name their need for you (Luke 1:52-53).

You have helped your servant Israel 

and your servant (insert your name), 

not because of anything we’ve done, 

but because you remembered your mercy (Luke 1:54).

You have spoken your covenant, 

your unfailing promise, of redemption, 

and what you speak comes to pass (Luke 1:55).

May we meditate on these truths today and every day. 

In Jesus’ mighty name. Amen. 

Read Luke 1:46-55. 

Get Elizabeth’s Advent devotional for free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/34no8c805q.

A Prayer about Remembering Redemption Stories

by | Dec 3, 2022 | Advent, Christmas, Daily Prayer, Death and Resurrection, Seasons & Holidays, Suffering, worship, gratitude

A Prayer about Remembering Redemption Stories

And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. Luke 1:36

Lord God,

Thank you for this wonderful story of redemption. 

Even as the angel Gabriel revealed to Mary 

an incomprehensible promise: 

she would conceive and bear a son, 

the Son of God, Jesus our Savior, 

who would reign on the throne forever (Luke 1:31-33), 

he shares a story of redemption to show her, 

“For nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37).

Father, even today, as we rush 

to finish our giving and our buying and our wrapping, 

or as we miss the days 

when we made all those preparations 

for a typical Christmas, 

press pause in our hearts. 

Help us to sit before you 

to remember our own stories of redemption, 

of the times you came through with the money 

when we didn’t know how we would get through the month, 

of the ways you healed a relationship 

that we thought was irrevocably broken, 

of the baby you brought into our lives 

after we had long given up hope of having a family, 

of how you burst through suffocating darkness

with the light and hope of Jesus.

As we remember, 

may we hope and pray again 

that you would do the impossible 

in this broken and hurting world.

In Christ’s redeeming name we pray. Amen. 

Read Luke 1:31-38.

Image courtesy of Good News Productions International and College Press Publishing at FreeBibleimages.org.

Get Elizabeth’s Advent devotional for free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/34no8c805q.

A Prayer about God’s Wonderful Plan

by | Dec 2, 2022 | Advent, Christmas, Daily Prayer, gratitude, Seasons & Holidays, Theology, worship, gratitude

A Prayer about God’s Wonderful Plan

The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:35 (NLT)

Holy, Majestic, Wondrous God,

No matter how many times I read 

the angel Gabriel’s “explanation” to Mary

 about how she will become pregnant 

with the Son of God, 

I’m baffled every time.

Who else but you 

would think of such a plan? 

What god but you, the Creator of the cosmos,

could actually execute it? 

What god but you, the Merciful Lord, 

would pay such a high price

to save a wayward people?

Yet, because you did,

the Holy Spirit “overshadowed” Mary, 

and she gave birth to Jesus, our Savior, 

so that one day, we could be born all over again, 

as completely new creation, in Christ. 

Only you, our glorious, covenantal, steadfastly loving God 

would and could accomplish such a thing!

May we spend this advent season 

marveling at the many ways you give birth to new things—

Especially new love for you and new love for others.

In Jesus’ saving name.

Amen.

Read Luke 1:26-35.

Get Elizabeth’s Advent devotional for free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/34no8c805q.

A Prayer about Thanking God for Special People

by | Nov 25, 2022 | Daily Prayer, gratitude, worship, gratitude

A Prayer about Thanking God for Special People

On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage. Acts 28:15

Author God,

Since today is my husband’s birthday, 

and since people in Scripture 

often thank you for people you’ve blessed them with,

it seems fitting now 

to thank you for the people 

you have written into our stories:

Thank you for writing [my friend, my encourager, my supporter, my child, my boss…] 

into my story.

Thank you for the ways they have supported me…

[Name the ways this person has supported you].

Thank you for the ways they have helped me grow…

[Name the ways they helped you grow]

Thank you for the ways they have given me courage to do hard things…

[Name the ways they have given you courage…]

Thank you for the way they have comforted me when I was sad…

[Name the ways they have comforted you…]

Thank you for the ways they have cheered me on in exciting times…

[Name ways they have cheered you on…]

Thank you for —

[Name anything else you can think of.]

In the name of our most faithful friend, Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Read Acts 28:15; Romans 1:8; 1 Corinthians 1:4; 1 Thessalonians 3:9; Ephesians 1:16

 

Suggestion: Consider telling the person or people you prayed for what you prayed. It will encourage their hearts to know how God has worked in your life through theirs.