A Prayer about Trusting the Lord to Protect Children

A Prayer about Trusting the Lord to Protect Children

She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. 

Exodus 2:3b

Compassionate Father, 

As loving parents and grandparents, 

we desperately want to protect our children. 

And yet, you alone 

are powerful enough, 

wise enough, 

and merciful enough 

to properly protect them. 

As we read about Moses’ mother 

trying to protect him from the Egyptian Pharaoh 

who ordered the murder of all male Israelites babies, 

we see your saving hand at work. 

You gave Jochebed wisdom and wit 

to develop a plan for protecting Moses — 

she placed him in a basket made of reeds and pitch 

and set him into the reeds by the river bank (Exodus 2:3). 

We wonder if she felt afraid or if she fully trusted 

that you would save her infant son from drowning. 

How many times have we felt this back and forth 

between trust in you and fear for our children—

when they are sick or have an ongoing health issue, 

when we have to leave them in a new place we’re not comfortable with, 

when they make friends at school 

who might not be the best influence.  

Give us the wit and wisdom you gave Jochebed. 

Show us how to best protect 

our children and grandchildren 

from danger of all kinds. 

Most of all, give us the faith to believe 

that you love our children and grandchildren far more than we do, 

and that you are always seeking their good and your glory.

In Jesus’ child-loving name. Amen.

Read Exodus 2:1-10.



A Prayer about Preparing for Glory

A Prayer about Preparing for Glory

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 1 Peter 5:10

Eternal and Everlasting God,

You knew all along how people might respond 

when I tell them I’ve written a book 

about facing our mortality, 

about preparing for glory.* 

Some wonder if I’m morbid, 

and others wonder if I’m sick. 

But some get it. 

Some know that death is our certain fate; 

some walk with a diagnosis 

that will lead to death sooner rather than later; 

some walk with a loved one with such a diagnosis. 

Help us, Lord, we pray, 

to know the hope of glory 

you have given to all who die in Christ. 

Help us to let go of the things of this earth 

to which we cling, 

that we might meditate on eternal glory:

Eternal glory is where we are headed. 

It is heaven. 

It is the new heavens and the new earth. 

It is looking fully on the face of Christ. 

It is hearing the welcome of our Father 

and enjoying the embrace of his Son. 

It is truly believing and clearly seeing 

God’s love for us. 

It is living fully into our creational calling 

to bear God’s image 

and to rule as servants in Christ’s kingdom. 

And it is doing so forever. 

Oh dear Father, thank you for preparing us 

for such glory.

In Jesus’ glorious name. Amen. 

Read 1 Peter 5:6-11; 2 Corinthians 4:17-18; Romans 8:18-25.

*Preparing for Glory: Biblical Answers to 40 Questions on Living and Dying in Hope of Heaven is available for from all of your favorite booksellers. (Affiliate link).



A Prayer about Stilling Our Souls

A Prayer about Stilling Our Souls

Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10

Friends, as you will probably soon recognize, this prayer is based on the hymn, “Be Still My Soul.”

Precious Jesus, Never-Changing God, Holy Spirit our Constant Companion,

Thank you for your constant kindness, 

your loyal friendship, 

your dependable aid…

to be able to call you our best friend, 

our “heavenly friend…” 

Can we be so bold?

Yes, we can! 

Because you have first called us “friend” (John 15:12-15). 

You know that we are busy ones, 

more constant in commotion than compassion. 

You know we find it hard to sit still, 

to soak our souls 

in the sunlight 

of your presence. 

You know how quickly we grab our phones, 

assuring ourselves 

we only want to check the weather 

or to read the daily prayer, 

then ten minutes later find ourselves 

immersed in the words, 

the images, 

the reels that leave us reeling. 

Bring us back: 

clasp our hands, 

clamp our ears, 

close our eyes, 

that our souls may be stilled, 

that we may stop and see—

you, our friend. 

Our heavenly friend, 

the One who laid down your life 

for your friends. 

The One who “bore the cross, the grief, the pain,” 

that we might call you friend; 

that you might bring us 

to our “joyful end.”

So very gratefully we pray.

Amen.

Read Psalm 46.

Listen to “Be Still My Soul” here. (Note, this playlist has many versions of the great hymn by Katarina von Schlegel, so you can choose your favorite.)



A Prayer about Caring for the Mentally Ill

A Prayer about Caring for the Mentally Ill

Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.

Ps. 46:10

Friends, as you will probably soon recognize, this prayer is based on the hymn, “Be Still My Soul.”

Precious Jesus, Never-Changing God, Holy Spirit our Constant Companion,

Thank you for your constant kindness, 

your loyal friendship, 

your dependable aid…

to be able to call you our best friend, 

our “heavenly friend…” 

Can we be so bold?

Yes, we can! 

Because you have first called us “friend” (John 15:12-15). 

You know that we are busy ones, 

more constant in commotion than compassion. 

You know we find it hard to sit still, 

to soak our souls 

in the sunlight 

of your presence. 

You know how quickly we grab our phones, 

assuring ourselves 

we only want to check the weather 

or to read the daily prayer, 

then ten minutes later find ourselves 

immersed in the words, 

the images, 

the reels that leave us reeling. 

Bring us back: 

clasp our hands, 

clamp our ears, 

close our eyes, 

that our souls may be stilled, 

that we may stop and see—

you, our friend. 

Our heavenly friend, 

the One who laid down your life 

for your friends. 

The One who “bore the cross, the grief, the pain,” 

that we might call you friend; 

that you might bring us 

to our “joyful end.”

So very gratefully we pray.

Amen.

Read Psalm 46.

Listen to “Be Still My Soul” here. (Note, this playlist has many versions of the great hymn by Katarina von Schlegel, so you can choose your favorite.)



A Prayer about God’s Plans for Us

A Prayer about God’s Plans for Us

‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’ Jeremiah 29:11. 

Sovereign Lord,

It’s not even the end of January, 

and some of the plans and goals we made for this year 

have already ended in what looks like “disaster” to us: 

instead of being on track to run a 5k, 

we had the flu and stayed in bed for a week, 

instead of being more patient with our kids, 

our teenager wrecked the car and we lost our temper, 

instead of planning our anniversary trip, 

our spouse was diagnosed with cancer…

All good plans…disrupted.

Thank you for the truth of this verse—

you were speaking to the Israelites 

who were exiled in Babylon 

because of their disobedience and sin. 

Yes, their dreams had been crushed, 

their plans changed, 

but you promised them redemption and restoration 

not after, but during 

their time of exile. 

Help us draw near to you 

and trust in you in disrupted plans, 

that we might see the good stories 

you are writing in our lives 

for your glory.

In Jesus’ redeeming name. Amen. 

Read Jeremiah 29:1-11.