A Prayer about the Coming of God’s Kingdom

by | Feb 20, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Coming of God’s Kingdom

Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10

Heavenly Father,

Forgive us for ever mumbling this prayer by rote, 

not really thinking about what we are asking for.

The fact is, this is a radical prayer. 

It is a prayer you invite us to pray daily. 

It is a prayer for when a marriage falls apart, 

for when economic woes threaten our business, 

for when a house is under water after a flood. 

When we pray this prayer, 

we remember whose kingdom we’re seeking—yours. 

You are a God characterized by “holy stubbornness,” 

a “refusal to accept ruin.”* 

You are the God who repaired broken creation 

by becoming man and dying on a cross. 

Your kingdom is characterized by shalom, 

universal flourishing, “heavenly wholeness.”*

Your kingdom is the kingdom 

that opposes the kingdom of darkness. 

To pray “your kingdom come” 

is to ask Jesus to defeat the destroyer’s efforts today. 

To pray “your kingdom come” 

is to repent of our tendencies 

to create small kingdoms by placing ourselves, 

our loved ones, our work, our homes, 

or any other thing we see as ours, 

on the throne of our lives. 

Indeed, Lord, your kingdom come.

In Jesus’ coming name. Amen.

Read Matthew 6:7-15.

*Quotes from Nathan Bierma’s great book, Bringing Heaven down to Earth



A Prayer about the Beauty, Surprise, and Joy of Jesus

by | Feb 19, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Joy, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Beauty, Surprise, and Joy of Jesus

On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. Isaiah 25:6

Miracle-working Jesus,

Two years ago, our pastor preached on your first miracle—

turning water into wine!

As he said, 

“Why, of all the signs you could have chosen, 

did you choose to make your first miracle this one?”* 

His answer, so eloquently put, 

is an invitation to adore and worship you: 

“the arc of the universe bends toward joy.” 

You came to bring “beauty, surprise, and joy.” 

Yes, you came to forgive sins through your death on the cross. 

And yes, we should fight against sin. 

But we should never never forget that you 

“drank the bitter wine 

so we could drink the better wine 

of everlasting life.” 

We should never forget that you 

“swallow(ed) up death forever” (Isaiah 25:8). 

We should never forget that one day “soon” 

we will join you as your perfected bride (Revelation 21:2), 

the bride you died for, 

feasting with you 

at the wedding supper of the lamb (Rev. 19:6-10).

In your surprising name we pray.

Amen.

Read John 2:1-11; Isaiah 25:6-8.

*Quotes and concepts in this prayer come from our wonderful Pastor Joel Treick, Pinewoods Church. If you’d like to hear the sermon, go here and search for episode from February 5, 2023.



A Prayer about Receiving a Dire Diagnosis

by | Feb 18, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Receiving a Dire Diagnosis

Don’t panic. I’m with you. There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. 

Isaiah 41:10

Mighty and Merciful God,

We lift up those 

who have just received the bad news about their health 

or a loved one’s health.

It was cancer. 

There is no cure. 

We’re not sure what’s wrong.

We know the panic 

that comes in such a moment. 

Our palms sweat. 

Our hearts race. 

The room gets blurry. 

We have questions? 

Can I endure the pain? 

What will happen to my loved ones? 

What about work? 

Am I going to die?

Oh, gracious Father, 

thank you for so many beautiful words 

in your Word 

that address our fear. 

May all who have received a dire diagnosis 

hear them now:

“Don’t panic. 

I’m with you. 

There’s no need to fear 

for I’m your God. 

I’ll give you strength. 

I’ll help you. 

I’ll hold you steady, 

keep a firm grip on you” (Isaiah 41:10).

Oh, Father, thank you for these 

and all of the other words you have given us 

to comfort and calm our hearts. 

May we all know your nearness 

to the brokenhearted 

in this difficult season (Psalm 34:18).

In Jesus’ merciful name. Amen.

Read Isaiah 41:10; Isaiah 43:1-2; Psalm 34.



A Prayer about the Guidance We Need

by | Feb 17, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Guidance We Need

Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Psalm 25:4-5

All-Wise God,

You know that every morning 

I look at my weather app 

to help me plan for my day—

how to dress, 

where to work out, 

when to walk my dog. 

So many of us seek guidance for life 

in little metal and glass boxes—

scanning the news headlines, 

scrolling through social media, 

seeking peace for our worries 

and guidance for living. 

Help us, Lord! 

Draw us to the truth 

that teaches and leads us 

to your holiness, kindness, 

and grace. 

Your Word instructs sinners (Psalm 25:8); 

your Word shows us how to walk on your path, 

the path of “steadfast love and faithfulness” (Psalm 25:10). 

Your Word teaches the humble your way (Psalm 25:9). 

Your Word shows us the way we should choose—

what to do about that problem at work, 

how to show our children love through discipline, 

who to ask about help with depression and anxiety…

Lord, you have already turned to us 

and been so very gracious to us 

through the Living Word, 

your Son, our Savior. 

May we find comfort in affliction 

and companionship in loneliness 

as we embrace your wonderful Word. 

In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Read Psalm 25. 



A Prayer about Anticipating the Joys of Heaven

by | Feb 16, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Joy

A Prayer about Anticipating the Joys of Heaven

My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. Philippians 1:23

Heavenly Father,

We confess, some of the descriptions of heaven 

have made us think it would be boring. 

People with wings and robes 

floating around on clouds playing harps? Really?

Lord, help us to regain an understanding 

of what the Bible tells us about heaven. 

Here are just a few things we know:

First, the moment we die, 

angels will carry us to be with you, 

the triune God (see Luke 16:22; 2 Cor. 5:8).

Second, while we will not have bodies 

when we go to the “temporary” heaven, 

the intermediate state, 

we do not become angels, 

because angels are spirits 

created by you to be completely different from humans (Heb. 1:14). 

Third, one day, when Christ returns to establish the new heavens and the new earth, 

we will receive resurrection bodies. 

The angels will never have bodies, 

but by your grace, one day, 

we will have fully restored and redeemed bodies (1 Cor. 15:35-49). 

Fourth, Jesus described even the intermediate state as “Paradise,” 

telling the converted thief on the cross, 

“Today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 22:43). 

Since Paradise also referred to the Garden of Eden, 

where your holy presence lived, 

we know that heaven gleams with your glory 

and is far nicer than Hawaii.

Fifth, and last for today but not forever 

because there’s so much more to say 

about the joys of heaven: 

St. Peter is not standing at the pearly gates with a clipboard 

deciding who gets in and who stays out. 

All who trust in Christ for forgiveness of sins 

will go to heaven: 

“Jesus said to her, 

‘I am the resurrection and the life. 

Whoever believes in me, though he die, 

yet shall he live, 

and everyone who lives and believes in me 

shall never die. 

Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26).

Yes, Lord, we believe this. 

Thank you for the joys of heaven we anticipate by your grace and mercy.

Amen.

Read Luke 16:22; 2 Corinthians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17.