A Prayer about Our Soul-Thirst

by | Feb 7, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Prayer, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Our Soul-Thirst

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Psalm 42:2

Thirst-filling Lord,

Today we lift up all who ache for you to appear, 

all who remember the days 

we used to lead the procession of praise (Psalm 42:4), 

all who now suffer turmoil within and attack from without (Psalm 42:5). 

Restore their hope again, 

even as they feel 

“all your breakers and your waves 

have gone over me” (Psalm 42:7).

At night, sing your steadfast love over them, 

“a prayer to the God of my life” (Psalm 42:8). 

At daybreak, remind them 

that you are their rock 

and that you have not forgotten them (Psalm 42:9).

Even as they feel the “deadly wound” 

of adversaries taunting 

or the grief of a relationship 

lost to death or conflict, 

remind them that because of Jesus, 

the one who suffered separation from you 

for the sake of our sins, 

they stand in your loving presence forever. 

Because of Jesus, 

we shall all “Hope in God, 

for we shall again praise you, 

our salvation and our God.”

In Jesus’ hope giving name. Amen.

Read Psalm 42.



A Prayer about Honoring the Elderly

by | Feb 6, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Honoring the Elderly

The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old.

Proverbs 20:29

Everlasting Father,

In a world that often marginalizes or mocks the elderly, 

transform us into people who honor and value the elderly.

Even as we age, may we see your holy purposes for aging—

some may no longer have the energy to tend to babies all night long, 

but they do wake up in the night, 

and they can pray for those who do.

Some may no longer have the physical agility 

to perform skilled labor, 

but they do have years of experience 

and can teach those who do.

Some may no longer have the responsibilities 

of running a business, 

but they do have the ability and wisdom 

to give good counsel to those who do.

Lord, may we see the opportunities aging affords, 

and may we embrace not only our own aging, 

but the aging of others. 

May we see that you call the elderly 

to continue giving you glory 

by learning and leading every day of their lives. 

In Jesus’ redeeming name. Amen.

Read Proverbs 20:29; Titus 2:2-5; 1 Timothy 5:1 . 


A Prayer about Praying God’s Promises Back to Him

by | Feb 5, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Praying God’s Promises Back to Him

Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever. Exodus 32:13

Merciful Lord,

When we have blown it again, 

help us to remember how badly the Israelites had blown it. 

You had brought them out of slavery in Egypt, 

you had provided manna for them in the wilderness, 

you had promised to make them a great nation 

and to bring them to a land flowing with milk and honey. 

Moses left to meet with you, 

and the next thing we know, 

the people are asking Aaron 

to “make us gods who shall go before us” (Exodus 32:1). 

And Aaron, Moses’ brother, 

the one you provided for Moses’ help, 

collects gold and fashion a golden calf. 

Holy Lord, do we really comprehend 

what an affront to your holiness this was? 

Moses did. 

He understood that he and his people deserved your wrath. 

And yet, he prayed your promises back to you. 

He did not collapse in self-contempt 

as some of us may do when we’ve blown it again. 

Instead, he reminded you 

of your power 

and your might 

and your plan. 

(As if you needed to be reminded.) 

On that basis, 

he asked for your mercy. 

On that basis, 

he asked for your continued presence. 

On that basis, he asked you to show him your glory (Exodus 32:18). 

Not only did you respond 

by giving Moses a glimpse of your glory 

that would not destroy him, 

you gave us Jesus, 

the very living presence of your glory. 

Because of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, 

when we have blown it,

we can “with confidence 

draw near to the throne of grace, 

that we may receive mercy 

and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). 

What great good news this is!

Amen. 

Read Exodus 32-34.



A Prayer about Preventing Bitterness

by | Feb 4, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Preventing Bitterness

See to it than on one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble and by it many become defiled… Hebrews 12:15

Merciful Lord,

May we hear your dire warning 

to guard our hearts 

from the toxic root of bitterness.

Bitterness characterizes the unrighteous, 

whose “mouth is full of curses and bitterness, 

whose feet are swift to shed blood” (Romans 3:14-15). 

Bitterness characterizes the selfish, 

those who are “in the gall of bitterness 

and in the bond of iniquity” (Acts 8:23). 

Bitterness grows when we refuse to forgive. 

For those forgiven by you, 

bitterness makes no sense. 

Knowing the cost of our sins 

you paid on the cross, 

we pray daily, “forgive us our debts, 

as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). 

Knowing how fully you have forgiven us, 

we forgo resentment and bitterness, 

striving for “peace with everyone” 

insofar as it depends on us (Hebrews 12:15; Romans 12:18). 

In your grace-giving name. Amen.

Read Hebrews 12:14-15; Romans 3:10-18; Romans 12:9-21. 



A Prayer about the Lord’s Discipline

by | Feb 3, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Lord’s Discipline

Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son,

and do not loathe his discipline;

for the Lord disciplines the one he loves,

just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights. Hebrews 12:5-6 

Heavenly Father,

Although your discipline, 

your correction, 

your reproof 

may seem painful at the time, 

help us to receive it as the tender and kind strength 

of a good Father who deeply loves his children. 

Remind us of the truth misapplied by Eliphaz—

“For he wounds, but he binds up; 

He shatters, but his hands heal” (Job 5:11-12). 

Remind us that while earthly fathers 

may discipline poorly and for a short time, 

you discipline us “for our good, 

that we may share his holiness.” 

Help us to wait for the day 

your discipline will “yield 

the peaceful fruit of righteousness 

to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:10-11). 

Most of all, remind us that while you discipline us, 

you are not punishing us, 

for you have already punished Jesus, 

our Savior, 

on the cross 

for every sin 

we would ever commit: 

“Consider him who endured from sinners 

such hostility against himself, 

so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted” (Hebrews 12:3).

In Jesus’ enduring name. Amen.

Read Proverbs 3:11-12; Hebrews 12:1-11.