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A Prayer about the End to Sorrow and Sighing

by | Dec 5, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Grief, Joy

A Prayer about the End to Sorrow and Sighing

And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Isaiah 35:10

Good Father,

In these days, the calls of “happy holidays” 

may fall deaf on the ears of those 

whose hearts are filled with sorrow and sighing. 

How grateful we are for the hope of Jesus’ first coming 

which brought ransom and redemption 

to “captive Israel,” 

which transformed her mourning into joy.* 

Fill our heavy hearts with the vision Isaiah paints 

of what has already begun 

and of what will one day be full and final 

when Jesus returns:

“The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; 

the desert shall rejoice and blossom 

like the crocus; 

it shall blossom abundantly 

and rejoice with joy and singing” (Isaiah 35:1-2).

“[We] shall see the glory of the Lord, 

the majesty of our God” (Isaiah 35:2).

May we who have “anxious hearts” 

hear your reassuring voice 

speaking to us from your Word: 

‘Be strong; fear not!” 

Indeed, one day soon, 

Jesus says, 

our God will judge all evil. 

In that day, 

all “sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isaiah 35:10), 

and we will know gladness and joy forever and ever. 

In this season of Advent, 

deepen our longing for that day.

In Jesus’ restoring name. Amen.

Read Isaiah 35. 

*Listen to “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.”

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



A Prayer about Happy Holidays

by | Dec 4, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Happy Holidays

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;

Break forth into joyous song and sing praises! Psalm 98:4

Joyful Lord,

It’s already happening. 

I feel my inner Grinch creeping, 

ready to make a sneak attack 

on the poor unsuspecting checkout folks 

who cheerfully call out, “Happy Holidays” 

after I’ve just bought Christmas ornaments. 

Lord, I know they’ve been told what to say. 

Lord, I know that Christmas 

has become commercialized. 

And yet, these stores will still play songs like,

“Joy to the World, the Lord is come, 

let earth receive her King,” 

and “Hark, the herald angels sing, 

‘Glory to the newborn King.’”

 So rather than getting all grinchy 

when someone tells me, “Happy Holidays,” 

help me to joyfully respond, “Thank you,” 

or even, “Joy to the world!” 

Help me to see that even the “secularization” of Christmas

offers prime opportunities 

to share the true reason for our joy — 

we have a great King, 

and that King has come, 

in the form of a baby human! 

It’s game-changing news, 

but many don’t know it. 

May we seek this season 

to share this news 

in the best way we know how, 

by living and loving 

in the fullness of our Savior’s joy!

Amen.

Read Psalm 98; Luke 2:8-20.

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



A Prayer about Jesus’ First and Second Coming

by | Dec 3, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Jesus’ First and Second Coming

Surely I am coming soon. Revelation 22:20

Lord Jesus,

In this season of celebrating your first arrival, 

our longings are piqued for your second arrival. 

You say, “Surely I am coming soon” (Revelation 22:20), 

and we say, “How soon is soon?” 

As we see the glory and healing and hope 

you brought at your first coming, 

as we see the many wonders that await us 

when you return, 

oh how eager we are, 

far more eager than a five-year-old 

on Christmas Eve. 

For we know the gifts you bring on that day 

will never get old or boring: 

the consummate intimacy with you and others, 

the complete healing from sin and sickness, 

the perfect peace with all who love you, 

the lovely diversity and abundant life… 

All gifts whose shine will never fade away—

these are the things we most deeply long for. 

You say, “Surely, I am coming soon.” 

We say, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”

Read Revelation 21-22.

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



A Prayer about Seeing the Light

by | Dec 2, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Seeing the Light

The people walking in the darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. Isaiah 9:2

Light of the World,

I remember being a teenager,

spending hours at the Young Life Christmas tree lot, 

singing noisily along 

with John Denver and the Muppets Christmas album, 

huddling with my friends over a trash barrel fire, 

selling Christmas trees 

to happy (and some unhappy) families. 

Then I would come home to a dark and empty house, 

turn on the Christmas tree lights, 

and sit in the darkness marveling at the twinkling glory. 

I truly was a young woman 

walking in darkness 

who had seen a great light. 

Tim Keller tells us that in the days Christ appeared, 

the world was “filled with evil and untold suffering….

violence, injustice, abuse of power, 

homelessness, refugees fleeing oppression, 

families ripped apart, bottomless grief.” 

As he says, “Sounds exactly like today.”* 

Lord, in this season of Advent, 

may we see the darkness of this world for what it is, 

and may we see your great light, 

your light which has overcome the darkness, 

the light which is the life of all mankind. 

And may we share this light 

with all who live and walk in deep darkness.

In the name of your light-shining Son. Amen.

Read Isaiah 9:2; John 1:4-10; Matthew 4:16.

[Quote from Tim Keller’s Hidden Christmas.]

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



A Prayer about How Christmas Disturbs Our Self-Made Shalom:

by | Dec 1, 2024 | Advent, Christmas, Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about How Christmas Disturbs Our Self-Made Shalom:

But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. Luke 1:29

Wondrous God, 

Even though this verse isn’t usually 

the subject of memes or cross-stitched wall-art, 

we need to ponder it.

It reminds us of just how disruptive 

the birth of Christ really was, 

how Christ in fact came 

to disrupt any self-made shalom, 

any peace we’ve gained on our own terms, 

any security and significance 

that doesn’t come from you. 

We can imagine how confused 

Mary must have been, 

how disruptive the news 

of her imminent pregnancy was to her.

After all, what would Joseph, 

her betrothed say?

And yet, she doesn’t quarrel 

with the angel Gabriel. 

Instead, she wonders, “How can this be?”

Lord, in this season of Advent, 

draw us to wonder 

about the disruptive grace 

of Jesus Christ. 

Make us sit and rest and ponder 

the enormity of this question, 

“How can this be….” 

In Christ’s wonderfully disruptive name. Amen.

Read Luke 1:26-38.

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