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A Prayer about the Destruction of Death

by | May 3, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Death and Resurrection, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Destruction of Death

The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 1 Corinthians 15:27

Heavenly Father,

Death is indeed our enemy. 

You created humans to live forever, 

glorifying and enjoying you. 

When sin entered the world, 

death came right alongside it, 

and ever since, 

the devil has used the power of death 

to hold your people in bondage to fear (Hebrews 2:14-15).

But because of the resurrection of Jesus 

which we celebrated a few short weeks ago, 

death has lost its sting for followers of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:55). 

We of all people should be able to discuss death, 

to prepare to die well by planning for the end of our lives, 

knowing it is coming, 

and knowing it will be a sad day for our loved ones left behind 

even as it is a day of unspeakable joy for us. 

Help us, Lord, 

to face this formidable enemy with courage, 

preparing for it practically, 

leaving a legacy that guides our loved ones 

in their grief, 

because of the hope we have in Jesus.

In Jesus’ death-defeating name. Amen.

Read 1 Corinthians 15:12-58.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about De-Selfing

by | May 2, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about De-Selfing

….who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Galatians 1:4

Lord Jesus,

Grow our awe—

You gave your-self: your fully divine, fully human self…

For what?

For my sins, for our sins…

Our sins revolve and evolve 

from our selves:

I am/we are

self-seeking,

self-promoting,

self-conscious,

self-pitying, 

self-protecting, 

among many other self-centric behaviors. 

You are 

self-sacrificing, 

self-lowering, 

self-emptying, 

self-less. 

Through your sacrifice for our sins,

we are delivered from the present evil age—

That is, we are 

redeemed, 

rescued, 

saved, 

from our self-centeredness 

and all of the self-seeking attitudes 

this fallen world promotes.

You obeyed the will of your Father, 

that he might be glorified, 

lifted up, 

praised, 

and in you, 

we too are transformed 

from self-centeredness 

to other-centeredness,

empowered 

to glorify God 

and glorify you, 

to love you 

and love others.

Indeed, in you, 

we have every reason to hope 

for freedom from self. 

Amen. 

Read Galatians 1:1-4; Philippians 2:3-11.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Wise Tongues

by | May 1, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Wise Tongues

Do you see someone who speaks in haste?

There is more hope for a fool than for them.

Proverbs 29:20

All-Wise God, 

Forgive our foolishness. 

Heal our tongues, 

which often speak “rashly, 

like the thrusts of a sword” (Proverbs 12:18).

We have become deeply enculturated 

in a world that is quick to speak 

and slow to listen

when you have called us 

as citizens of your kingdom 

to be “quick to hear, 

slow to speak, 

slow to anger” (James 1:19). 

Lord, we confess to you some of the sins 

that slip off our tongues: 

comparison, 

envy, 

judgment,

gossip, 

criticism, 

slander, 

to name just a few.

Change us, Lord, 

so that “no evil talk come(s) out of our mouths, 

but only what is useful for building up, 

as there is need, 

so that our words may give grace 

to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29).

Grant us 

the loving wisdom, 

extraordinary patience, 

and sacrificial forgiveness 

of your Son

who taught us to love our enemies 

and to pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 4:43-44). 

In Jesus’s all-wise name. Amen. 

Read Proverbs 29. 



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about a Talking Donkey

by | Apr 30, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about a Talking Donkey

“And the donkey said to Balaam, ‘Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?’ Numbers 22:31

King above all Kings,

There is perhaps no more amusing story in Scripture 

than the one about the greedy pagan “prophet” Balaam 

and his faithful (to you that is) donkey (Numbers 22:7, 15, 18). 

We laugh when the donkey refuses to go where Balaam tells her 

because she sees the angel of the Lord (Numbers 22:23-27). 

Our eyes grow wide when you “open the mouth of the donkey” 

and she says, “What have I done to you, 

that you have struck me these three times?” (Numbers 22:28). 

And yet, through this whole true tale, 

you reveal yourself to be King of Kings 

and protector of your people. 

The evil king of Moab, Balak, 

wants Balaam to curse your people, 

the Israelites. 

But you will not allow Balaam to speak evil against your people, 

only a blessing. 

You are indeed the Lord of Lords, 

the Ruler of Rulers, 

the King of Kings. 

And you have shared the hope of this message clearly with us 

throughout Scripture. 

May we be more like your donkey, 

who sees your messengers clearly, 

who obeys your commands.

In Jesus’s worthy name. Amen. 



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Grieving with Hope

by | Apr 29, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Grief, Joy, Suffering

A Prayer about Grieving with Hope

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13

Comforting Lord,

How kind your Word is—

you know that we will grieve when we lose loved ones, 

and you don’t tell us not to grieve.

and yet, you remind us 

that your return gives us every reason to hope for a brighter day 

even as we grieve. 

For we know that our loved ones lost to death 

are now with you if they trusted in you in this life. 

You told the thief on the cross, 

“Today, you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). 

Not only that, but you tell us that one day, 

you will return from heaven, 

“with a cry of command, 

with the voice of an archangel, 

and with the sound of the trumpet of God” (1 Thess. 4:16). 

In that day, you will raise the bodies of those who died before your return (4:16). 

In that day, you will raise the living, 

who will oddly (to us) enough, 

escort you back to earth to establish your kingdom, 

the new heavens and the new earth (4:17). 

On that day, we will live in unbroken presence of eternal glory.

For this reason, we do not grieve as those who have no hope (1 Thess. 4:13).

In your name we pray. Amen.

Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Waiting with Hope

by | Apr 29, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Waiting with Hope

We too wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. Romans 8:23

Gracious God,

Thank you for giving us every reason to hope, 

even as we wait in difficult circumstances—

Some of us are waiting for healing of our bodies, 

others are waiting for healing of relationships, 

others are waiting for healing of injustice.

The clock is ticking, 

and redemption seems to take forever 

in this fallen world. 

And yet, you have promised us 

that one day “the sufferings of this present time” 

will not be “worth comparing 

to the glory that is to be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). 

Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, 

you have secured that promise. 

One day, indeed, all suffering will cease, 

and we will be like Jesus, 

because we will see him as he really and truly is (1 John 3:2). 

May we savor this hope 

even as we “wait for it with patience” (Romans 8:25).

In Jesus’ hope-giving name. Amen.

Read Romans 8:18-25.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker