A Prayer about Jesus’ First and Second Coming

by | Dec 1, 2022 | Advent, Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, Joy, Seasons & Holidays

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 the End to Sorrow and Sighing

by | Nov 29, 2022 | Advent, Christmas, Daily Prayer, Grief, Seasons & Holidays, Suffering

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 | Nov 28, 2022 | Advent, Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, Seasons & Holidays

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 Waiting for Redemption

by | Jan 2, 2022 | Christmas, Daily Prayer

A Prayer about Waiting for Redemption

Heavenly Father,

What an attractive old woman Anna was. 

She was widowed young, 

after only seven years of marriage, 

and then she spent the rest of her life single. 

It would have been so easy to become bitter, 

especially in a society in which widows 

and single women were often outcasts. 

And yet, you gave Anna the gift 

we all most desire in this Christmas season, 

the gift of believing redemption would come 

in the midst of the broken story of her life, 

of the lives of her people. 

She spent years waiting for redemption, 

watching for you, 

waiting at your “home,” the temple, 

believing you would show up there one day. 

And she didn’t hide, 

keeping her hope to herself—

she was a prophetess, 

sharing the good news about you with others. 

Lord, would you make us like Anna 

as we await your second coming? 

Would you transform our vision 

so that what we solely seek 

is your arrival? 

Would you transform our tongues 

so that what we simply speak of 

is your salvation? 

Would you even allow us today 

to receive our King as Anna once did long long ago? 

In Jesus’ returning name we ask. Amen. 

Read Luke 2:36-38. 

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A Prayer about Jesus’ Tears

by | Dec 29, 2021 | Christmas, Daily Prayer, Suffering

A Prayer about Jesus’ Tears

Generous Father,

Even though the day most people exchange gifts 

has come and gone,

 or maybe especially because that day 

has come and gone, it’s a good time 

to contemplate this baby in the manger. 

Many of us love the Christmas lullaby 

“Away in a Manger,” 

but I do think the authors got one thing wrong: 

“The little Lord Jesus, 

no crying he makes….” 

That can’t be right.

Babies cry. 

They express their need for food, 

clean diapers, 

and sleep 

by crying. 

Jesus was fully human, 

and he likely cried when he was a baby, 

especially if cows were mooing in his ear. 

Heavenly Father, may we never forget Jesus’ true humanity, 

but also may we believe in his deep sympathy, 

his passion for and with us. 

Not only did he cry as a baby, 

he wept as a man 

over his friend Lazarus’ death. 

He came to reverse the curse of sin 

by submitting to death on a cross. 

He sweated blood  

as he agonized in the garden 

over his impending death. 

Yes, Lord, Jesus wept. 

May we affirm the cries of the baby Jesus 

and may we trace the tears of our Savior. 

In his sacrificial name we pray. Amen. 

Read John 11:28-44; Luke 22:39-46.

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A Prayer about Christ’s Humanity and Ours

by | Dec 27, 2021 | Christmas, Daily Prayer

A Prayer about Christ’s Humanity and Ours

Holy God,

I love how creeds and confessions

help us see new things about our faith. 

The Belgic Confession, 

in confessing the truth of the incarnation 

reminds us that both the body and the soul 

are essential to our humanity:
“And he not only assumed human nature 

  as far as the body is concerned 

  but also a real human soul, 

  in order that he might be a real human being. 

For since the soul had been lost as well as the body, 

  he had to assume them both to save them both together.”*

Thank you, Lord, 

for sending Christ in the flesh, 

to remind us that our bodies 

belong to you and are beloved by you.

Thank you, Lord, for making Christ 

a real human being, 

and yet without sin.

who, though without sin, 

can fully sympathize with our weaknesses, 

in heart, soul, mind, and body.

Being sinless, he was the perfect sacrifice

for our sins, 

and died

that we might live eternally 

with and for you.

In gratitude for the greatest gift of Christmas, 

may we glorify you with all of our being.

In Christ’s fully human, fully divine name. Amen.

Read Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 4:15; Matthew 22:37.

*(From Belgic Confession of Faith for Advent and Christmas).