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A Prayer about Being Ready for Christ’s Return

A Prayer about Being Ready for Christ’s Return

Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, ‘The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look here it is!’ Or ‘There!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” Luke 17:20-21

Christ our King,

We confess, 

even as we pray daily, “Thy kingdom come,” 

we can be misled by people 

who tell us we will see flashy signs 

that the day of your return is near. 

You yourself told the Pharisees 

and the disciples 

that we wouldn’t be able to predict 

the coming of your kingdom, 

to know exactly the day or the time. 

You also said that it is already here, 

and indeed, since your first coming to earth, 

the kingdom of God has come near. 

You also instructed your disciples 

to be ready for the day you will come again 

in all of your glory 

to reign over your restored earth 

with all who trust in you. 

What should we do? 

We should be ready. 

What makes us ready? 

Very simply, 

trusting you, 

waiting on you, 

seeking the things of your kingdom. 

Very simply, 

praying for and sharing your love 

with those who refuse to bow before you, 

desiring no one to be eternally separated from you 

because of their rebellion. 

By your grace, draw us near

to your throne of grace daily 

to gain the mercy and grace 

we need 

to wait well for your glorious kingdom.

In your ruling name. Amen.  

Read Luke 17:20-37.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about the Best Heart Transplant

A Prayer about the Best Heart Transplant

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 

Ezekiel 36:26.

Lord God,

I’ve always been fascinated with the strange prophecies of Ezekiel. 

I love the part where you tell him to breathe into the dry bones, 

and “there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, 

and the bones came together, bone to its bone.”

Then you tell Ezekiel to breathe some more, 

and all of these skeletons are covered with flesh  (Ezekiel 37:7-10). 

It is a vivid picture of the new life you give us in Jesus Christ. 

We were walking skeletons in our sin (Ephesians 2:1), 

but you raised us to new life. 

Not only that, you gave us a heart transplant, 

so that we would be your people, 

and you would be our God.

Fill our imaginations, Lord. 

Help us to see our new hearts 

learning to pump out the lifeblood of love. 

Send us as your grace-plump, enfleshed people, 

into a hurting world that desperately needs new hearts.

In Jesus’ life-giving name. Amen.

Read Ezekiel 36:22-38; 37:1-14.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Killing Sin

A Prayer about Killing Sin

And those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Galatians 5:24

Holy Father,

We confess, we are often bewildered 

by our ongoing struggle with sin. 

We know that we “have been crucified with Christ. 

It is no longer [we] who live but Christ who lives in us” (Gal. 2:20). 

We know that we still struggle with “the works of the flesh,” 

that is our sinful selfish attitudes and behaviors, 

things like sexual immorality…idolatry…envy…strife…fits of anger…

just to name a few in the long list of Galatians 5:20-21. 

How do we “crucify the flesh,” 

how do we not let “sin reign in our mortal bodies” (Romans 6:12)? 

Only by continuing to “walk in the Spirit,” 

continuing to see our sin nailed to the cross. 

As theologian Philip Ryken explains, 

our sin has a way of climbing off that cross. 

And we have a way of helping it make a “speedy recovery: 

We are sometimes tempted to remove the nails, 

help our old sinful nature down from the cross, 

and nurse it back to health.”* 

In the power of the Spirit, 

and only in the power of the Spirit, 

can we put that sin back on the cross 

and “pound the nails in a little deeper.” 

When we do so, 

we are marked by the fruit of the Spirit, 

the beauty and loveliness of Christ. 

Lord, help us to crucify our sin 

and keep it on the cross.

In Jesus’ powerful name. Amen. 

*See Philip Ryken’s commentary on Galatians. 



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Growing Up in Every Way

A Prayer about Growing Up in Every Way

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ…Ephesians 4:15

Trustworthy and True Jesus,

Yesterday we prayed about 

your trustworthy, true nature.

Today, we ask that you would, 

by your Spirit, so unite us to yourself, 

that we become like you.

We want to be trustworthy and true people, 

dependable and honest. 

We want to be people who show up 

when we say we’ll be there. 

We want to be people 

who give advice 

infused with prayer and your wisdom. 

We want to be people who allow others

to rest and relax

because they feel safe and comfortable in our presence. 

In this world of uncertainty and unpredictability, 

make us carriers of your trustworthy and true nature. 

In your faithful name. Amen.

Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 4:1-32. 



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about the One Who Is Trustworthy and True

A Prayer about the One Who Is Trustworthy and True

Write this down for these words are trustworthy and true. Revelation 21:5

Trustworthy and True Father,

We are distressed to learn 

that many of the leaders and institutions 

we have put our trust in, 

even spiritual ones, 

are not trustworthy and true. 

In fact, some cultural commentators say

there is an epidemic of mistrust in our world, 

and they may be right. 

How thankful we are 

that throughout Scripture, 

and especially in the wonderful vision of Revelation

about what really will happen one day “soon,” 

you emphasize how trustworthy and true you are. 

You are the God of truth, the God who never lies. 

You have sent your Son as our Savior, 

and he has proven himself 

to be perfectly trustworthy 

and perfectly loving. 

Unlike any of the fallible leaders in the world today, 

Jesus gave his life for us. 

Jesus made good on his promise 

to rise from the dead after three days. 

Jesus delivered on his pledge

to send a greater Helper, the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus ascended to heaven

and sits at your right hand this very minute, 

interceding for us (Romans 8:34).  

Your promise is trustworthy and true. 

Jesus is coming back. 

Jesus is restoring this broken world.

Jesus is making all things new. 

And one day we really will dwell in shalom forever. 

In Jesus’ faithful and true name. Amen.

Read Revelation 21:5; 22:6; 3:14; 19:11.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Obedience

A Prayer about Obedience

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. John 15:10

Holy God,

In our world,

which preaches the message of autonomy and high self-esteem, 

we confess, 

the idea of obedience makes some of us cringe. 

The word “obedience” 

comes from an old English word, 

“obeisance,” 

which literally means to “bow down.” 

Servants bowed down before their masters. 

Subjects bowed down before the Queen. 

We confess, 

we far prefer to “bow up” 

than to “bow down.” 

And yet, because of the love with which you loved us,

 because we are indeed “charity cases,” 

as we confessed yesterday, 

we can grow in our love of obedience. 

For indeed, this is what our Savior did: 

rather, he made himself nothing

    by taking the very nature of a servant,

    being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,

    he humbled himself

    by becoming obedient to death—

        even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:7-8)

Gracious Lord, in Christ’s love, 

by your Spirit, 

you have given us the power to bow down, 

to humble ourselves, 

to make ourselves servants—

of you and of others. 

And as Jesus told his disciples, 

it is this abiding and obedience 

that makes our joy complete (John 15:11). 

Give us this abiding joy.

In Jesus’ loving name. Amen.

Read John 15:1-11.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker