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A Prayer about the Perfection God Promises

A Prayer about the Perfection God Promises

You therefore must be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:48

Heavenly Father, 

As a recovering perfectionist, 

I confess, this verse always makes me anxious 

when I first read it.

But then I reread a commentary on Matthew,*

and the author reminds me, 

the command is also a promise as phrased in Greek, 

“You shall be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.”

As he says, the word “perfect” also reveals 

how completely inadequate we are 

to live out Jesus’ commands 

apart from his mercy and grace 

operating in our lives. 

The word “perfect” means “mature and complete,” 

but we know we’re nowhere near 

as mature and complete as God is, 

so it must be a process. 

Indeed,

becoming mature and complete 

takes a lifetime of your sanctifying work 

through the Spirit. 

Becoming mature and complete 

doesn’t mean “work harder”; 

it means “depend on God more,” 

because you are the God 

who makes new selves out of old selves (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Becoming mature and complete 

doesn’t mean “never make a mistake”; 

it means “run to God 

with all of your mistakes, 

weaknesses, and sin.” 

To be perfect

is to trust in you alone 

to finish the good work 

you began in us in Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6). 

In Jesus’ perfecting name. Amen.

Read Matthew 5:17-48; Philippians 3:12-16.

*I highly recommend Dr. Dan Doriani’s commentary on Matthew for more on this passage. 



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Being Open to Learning New Truths

A Prayer about Being Open to Learning New Truths

“You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out. John 9:34

Jesus, our Glorious Teacher,

Open our eyes, 

remove our blindness, 

that we may see more of your glory. 

Forgive us for any ways 

we are like the various groups 

in the story of the blind man you healed (John 9)—

the neighbors, who are only mildly skeptical, 

the Pharisees, who deny that you are from God, 

the Jews, who refuse to believe the miracle you worked, 

or even his own parents, 

who fear acknowledging the truth about you. 

Make us more like the blind man 

who received his sight 

and was able to see 

more than just the faces of his accusers. 

He said of you, “He is a prophet” (John 9: 17). 

He said of you, “If this man were not from God, 

he could do nothing” (John 9:33). 

He asked the Jews if they wanted to be your disciples, 

but they “reviled” him (John 9:28). 

Oh, Lord, free us from the error of the Pharisees, 

who believed they could see 

and because of their pride, 

their “guilt remain[ed]” (see John 9:41). 

Healing Lord, give us sight. 

Give us the ability to see that apart from you, 

we can do nothing, we know nothing. 

Give us the open heart to learn new things from you, 

new things about you, 

for you are “gentle and lowly” in heart, 

and from you, 

we will find rest for our souls and our bodies (see Matt. 11:29-30). 

In your glorious name we pray. Amen.

Read John 9:1-41. 



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about True Freedom

A Prayer about True Freedom

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

Merciful Father,

When the apostle Paul told the Galatians 

they had been set free for freedom, 

he wasn’t talking politics; 

he was talking about 

the rich, generous, and gracious 

freedom we have in Christ. 

On this Independence Day in America, 

some of us celebrate America’s freedom, 

but even more, 

we celebrate the freedom we have 

as citizens of your kingdom. 

We are…

Freed from sin and shame 

to bear the fruit of sanctification 

and to live eternal life as your servants, 

starting now (Romans 6:22). 

Freed to outdo one another in love, 

with honor, not slander, 

with hospitable hearts, 

assuming the best of others, not the worst (Romans 12:9-10).

Freed to serve God and serve others, 

not to use our “freedom as a cover-up for evil” (1 Peter 2:16).

Best of all, we are freed 

to spend all of our time, money, and energy 

giving glory to you, 

our  mighty and majestic God (Revelation 1:5-6).

Thank you for these truths which set us truly free (John 8:32).

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Read Galatians 5:1-10; Romans 12:9-19; 1 Peter 2:16; Revelation 1:5-6; John 8:32.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Being Truly Transformed

A Prayer about Being Truly Transformed

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Romans 12:2

Everlasting God,

I did it again.

I just scrolled away twenty minutes, 

looking at this and that, 

following this trail on someone’s post about their wayward cat, 

clicking on this headline about a bizarre tragedy on a remote island, 

checking the weather for Wimbledon…

Have mercy on me, have mercy on us.

Sometimes it seems we have no self-control 

when a screen is in our hand or at our fingertips.

We long to know the “rest for my soul” 

that Jesus has promised (Matthew 11:28-30), 

and yet so much of what we do 

fills our heads and heart 

with noise and trivia 

that is impotent to change our lives.

Transform us, we pray, 

renew our minds by the work of your Spirit, 

so that we can sit still 

and remember that you are God (Psalm 46:10). 

Speaking of sitting, 

help us to do just that sometimes, 

to sit quietly with no phone, no tablet, not even a book, 

and listen for your voice delighting in us, 

for in this very moment, 

you are singing over us, 

quieting us with your love (Zephaniah 3:14-17). 

In Jesus’ life-changing name. Amen. 

Read Romans 12:13; Matthew 11:28-30; Psalm 46:10; Zephaniah 3:14-17.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about the Wisdom We So Desperately Need

A Prayer about the Wisdom We So Desperately Need

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. Proverbs 9:10

Awesome God,

In this confusing and chaotic world, 

how desperately we need your wisdom. 

Parents need your wisdom to know how to

help their children stay safe and on a wise path; 

adult children need your wisdom to know how to 

talk to their parents about letting go of the car keys; 

bosses need your wisdom to know how to 

steward their employees’ gifts, 

Patients need your wisdom 

to know which course of treatment to pursue.

and on and on…

Whoever we are, 

whatever our situation, 

we need your wisdom, 

whether we realize it or not. 

May we first realize that it is your wisdom we need, 

and then may we turn to you to find it. 

When we “fear” you, 

that is live in awe of you, 

live in gratitude of you, 

live seeking your Word, 

live listening to pastors and ministry leaders and wiser friends, 

you promise, 

we will grow in your wisdom. 

It is indeed through you, 

as Eugene Peterson puts it, 

that [our] life deepens, 

and the years of [our] life ripen. 

May we “live wisely” 

so that “wisdom will permeate [our] lives.” (Proverbs 9: 11, The MSG). 

Read Proverbs 9. 



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Loving Our Enemies

A Prayer about Loving Our Enemies

But I say to you, ‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’ Matthew 5:44

Lord Jesus,

You knew we’d struggle

to love the friend who shared our shameful secret;

You knew we’d struggle 

to pray for the boss who unjustly let us go.

And yet, you commanded us to do 

what our hearts can’t do 

in their natural state—

love our enemies.

Why?

Because only in loving our enemy 

can we truly understand how you have loved us

—your enemy. 

For, indeed, while we were still sinners, 

rebels in your sight, 

you endured a beating 

that should have killed you. 

While we were still sinners, 

hating you and hating God, 

you felt the nails 

hammering you to the cross (Romans 5:6-8). 

Something happened there 

to change everything, 

to turn love upside down.

Now, empowered by your sacrificial love, 

enabled by your grace, 

we are sent out to do the impossible, 

to love our enemies 

and pray for those who persecute us.

In your enemy-loving name. Amen.

Read Matthew 5:43-48; Romans 5:6-11.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker