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A Prayer about Remembering Death

by | Sep 20, 2022 | aging, dying, and death, body, Daily Prayer, Death and Resurrection, Grief

A Prayer about Remembering Death

Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is. Psalm 39:4

Everlasting God,

How we hate to think about or talk about the fact 

that we’re all going to die one day. 

And yet, when we read your Word, 

we see that it frequently speaks of death. 

It reminds us that we are mortal, 

and that our lives, 

in comparison to eternity, 

are short. 

Lord, we pray that you would give us a proper perspective on death—

we don’t “commend” it, 

for you did not design us to die. 

Death was the just punishment for sin. 

And yet, we do recognize its reality, 

and we prepare for it, 

because you tell us to remember that our days are numbered (Ps. 90:12). 

We prepare for it with the hope of immortality, 

knowing that Jesus defeated death on the cross, 

and that all who trust in him 

will live in your eternal glory. 

Because of this great hope, 

we have been freed from slavery to the fear of death (Heb. 2:15). 

And because of this great hope, 

we can prepare for death 

by getting our advance directives and wills and all the other things in order, 

by writing and sharing legacies with our loved ones, 

by visiting the dying, 

by going to funerals, 

and by comforting the grieving. 

Help us today to pray about dying well 

that we may live well. 

In Jesus’ resurrected name. Amen.

Read Psalm 39:4-5; Psalm 90.

A Prayer about Praying for Miracles of Healing

by | Jul 29, 2022 | aging, dying, and death, body, Daily Prayer

A Prayer about Praying for Miracles of Healing

And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, ‘If you will, you can make me clean.’ Mark 1:40

Life-Changing God,

Thank you for inviting us 

to bring all of our prayer requests before you, 

especially regarding healing. 

Throughout Scripture, we see you reversing the course of nature, 

healing supernaturally, 

as you did when the leper asked you to make him clean. 

Because you healed many people, 

we are invited to pray for healing.

And yet, may we remember, 

we should never treat you as a magician, 

asking you to wave a wand 

and reverse the course of nature. 

When our loved one is suffering and dying, 

eaten up with disease, 

may we pray to accept the reality of death

in your timing and in your way

as an answer to our prayer.

May we continue to lament the horror of death 

until the day Jesus returns to raise us all to new life 

in the new heavens and new earth.  

May we never forget 

your most miraculous healing work—

the raising of the spiritually dead 

to new life and eternal life. 

Lord, give us wisdom when we pray for healing, 

and give us acceptance of your every answer to prayer. 

In Jesus’ healing name. Amen.

Luke 2:29-31; James 1:4-5; Mark 1:40-44.

What Jesus’ Body Means for Us: Relearning How to Enjoy and Glorify God with Our Bodies

by | Mar 16, 2022 | body, Gospel living

What Jesus’ Body Means for Us: Relearning How to Enjoy and Glorify God with Our Bodies

Did Jesus wear diapers? Did Jesus learn to say “Abba”? Did Jesus need to take naps? To all three, if we have a biblical theology of Jesus and the body, we must answer “yes.” Often, we focus on Jesus’ spiritual nature, but we need to reclaim an understanding of Jesus’ body as well. When we pay attention to how Jesus lived in his human body, we better understand how to live in our bodies to enjoy and glorify the Lord.

Our Savior Learned and Grew

The Bible teaches that Jesus learned and grew. Yes, Jesus was sinless, no doubt, but in his humanity, he had to learn; he had to grow. Luke 2:52 tells us, “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man” (NIV). Jesus didn’t emerge from Mary’s womb potty-trained. Jesus grew from a small baby into an average-sized Hebrew male before he began his earthly ministry. Jesus had to learn how to speak Aramaic and Hebrew, how to read Isaiah, and how to write his alphabet.

Just as God designed Jesus to learn and grow, he designed us to learn and grow as well. We can learn new things, like how to play the piano or how to study Scripture. We grow physically, and even when our bodies are fully grown, we can and should continue to increase in “wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man,” by living in our bodies wisely, eating and drinking and exercising and touching and playing to the glory of God.

Continue reading and discover how you can live in the body God has given you. 

 

A Prayer about God’s Purposes in Aging

by | Feb 5, 2022 | aging, dying, and death, body, Daily Prayer

A Prayer about God’s Purposes in Aging

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 Our Wonderful Bodies

by | Jan 25, 2022 | body, Daily Prayer

A Prayer about Our Wonderful Bodies

Creator God,

You have intricately fashioned our bodies, 

beginning in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13).

You have counted the hair on our heads 

and our tears in your bottle (Luke 12:7; Psalm 56:8).

Forgive us for failing 

to proclaim the goodness of our bodies. 

Help us to affirm with David, 

“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14).

May we treat our bodies 

kindly and honorably, 

as the very temple of worship 

you designed them to be (1 Corinthians 6:19).

And may we use 

our feet, our hands, 

our mouths, our tongues, 

to serve you and praise you all of our days.

In the name of Jesus, God-made-flesh. Amen. 

Read Psalm 139:13-16; Luke 12:7; Psalm 56:8; 1 Corinthians 6:19.

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