A Prayer for the Crushed in Spirit

by | Mar 1, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Grief, Suffering

A Prayer for the Crushed in Spirit

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. 

Psalm 34:18

Compassionate Lord,

Today we lift up, and we pray our prayers will truly lift up, 

those who are weighed down 

with the heavy burden of chronic illness or ongoing suffering 

in their bodies. 

Some have chronic pain that no medication can touch, 

some have seen doctor after doctor in efforts 

to find out why they feel terrible all the time. 

Others live with chronic depression or anxiety, 

still others have struggled with a barren womb 

or multiple miscarriages for years. 

Oh, good Father, may we pause for a moment 

and bring to mind people we know, 

whether friends, family, or acquaintances 

who suffer in their body. 

May we imagine what their days are like. 

Now we ask you, 

be so very near to them in all sorts of ways—

provide physical relief, 

provide hope through a new medical professional 

who really listens to them, 

provide comfort through our compassion.

As they struggle to believe that you truly are near, may we draw near to them, 

not with quick fixes 

but with long-suffering and listening hearts.

Save those who are crushed in spirit. 

Strengthen their faith, 

surround them with community who will believe on their behalf 

as they walk through (or feel they are stuck in) 

the dark valleys. 

By your Spirit, 

draw them near to you 

that they may see 

how you have come near to them 

in your Son’s suffering. 

In Jesus’ kind name we ask. Amen. 

Read Psalm 34:10-22; Psalm 22. 



A Prayer about the Day of No More Tears

by | Jan 7, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Grief, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Day of No More Tears

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4

Healing Lord,

January now brings with it for me many memories of my mom — 

her birthday on January 4; 

her death day on January 12; 

her funeral on January 8.*

As I remember her with sorrow and longing,

I return to the hope you offer me and my grieving friends:

The hope of the Day to come 

when there will be 

no more death, 

nor mourning, 

nor crying, 

nor pain. 

In these remarkable final chapters of your Word, 

you give us a glimpse of what that day will be like:

We will live in safety, with our identity secure in you,

because you will dwell with us (Revelation 21:3).

We will see Jesus face to face, 

and his name will be engraved 

on our foreheads (Revelation 22:4).

We will drink for free and freely from 

the river of the water of life, 

and we will dine lavishly

on the fruit of the tree of life (Revelation 21:6; 22:1).

We will marvel at your majesty, 

and we will long to serve you and no other (Revelation 22:3).

We will enjoy peaceful community 

of people from every tribe and tongue and nation (Revelation 21:4; 22:2).

There’s more, so much more, 

to that day 

which will last forever. 

We believe your promise, 

“Surely, I am coming soon,” 

and we cry in response, 

“Come, Lord Jesus.”

In your hope-giving name. Amen.

Read Revelation 21-22. 

*Because of Covid, we had to wait an entire year to have the funeral my mother had planned.



A Prayer about Jesus’ Tears

by | Dec 28, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Grief, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Jesus’ Tears

Jesus wept. John 11:35

Compassionate Lord,

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.



A Prayer about Not Being Alone at Christmas

by | Dec 9, 2024 | Christmas, Daily Prayer, Grief

A Prayer about Not Being Alone at Christmas

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20

Ever-present God,

We’ve seen too many Christmas programs 

with Mary all alone on the stage singing

about how a baby changes everything. 

I guess it’s because 

we admire Mary for facing such a daunting task—

to raise the Son of God, 

but we’re prone to forget 

that she was never alone in her calling, 

that she’s not some 21st century independent woman, 

bold and brave and free, 

walking this hard road in her own strength. 

Indeed, the angel Gabriel is right there with her 

in this radically life-altering moment, 

and you were with her all along.

Her cousin Elizabeth is with her, 

believing the impossible with her. 

Even if her husband rejected her 

and the village folk talked about her behind her back, 

she had the assurance that her heavenly Father favored her.

And we have so much more than Mary had. 

We have the knowledge that Christ the King 

was born as a baby, 

lived and loved on this earth, 

died on the Cross for our sins, 

rose from the dead, 

and is seated at your right hand. 

We know that one day he will come again 

to restore all things, 

to right the wrong, 

to call his people home. 

Show us today

where we need to surrender to your plan, 

and remind us that we are never alone 

in living this glorious calling to be your bond servant. 

Do your will in us, 

and remind us of the many ways 

you’ve already shown us your favor 

and empowered us to serve you. 

In Jesus, Immanuel’s name. Amen. 

Read Luke 1:26-45. 

Get Elizabeth’s Advent devotional for free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/34no8c805q.



A Prayer about the End to Sorrow and Sighing

by | Dec 5, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Grief, Joy

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 Not Rushing Grief

by | Sep 21, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Grief

A Prayer about Not Rushing Grief

I am shut in so that I cannot escape;

my eye grows dim through sorrow.  Psalm 88:8-9

Healing Father,

We all know people who have lost people to death, 

whether anticipated or completely unexpected, 

people who have lost homes and possessions to hurricanes and wildfires, 

and people who have lost relationships they once held dear. 

At first, others may gather around 

and check on the grieving, 

but within a few weeks or a month, 

many people move on,

forgetting it ever happened. 

That’s the way it so often works with grief. 

Our loved one dies; 

our home is wrecked; 

our relationship ends, 

and we are still wounded, 

limping through our daily lives, 

but everyone else has moved on. 

Thank you, good Father, 

for giving us time to grieve. 

Thank you for not rushing us through our pain. 

Thank you for teaching us to lament, 

to cry out to you honestly 

about the agony of our loss. 

Throughout Scripture, 

you give us words to speak to you, 

unexpected words, 

blunt words:

“You have put me in the depths of the pit, 

in the regions dark and deep” (Ps. 88:6).

“Your wrath lies heavy upon me, 

and you overwhelm me with all your waves” (Ps. 88:7). 

“He has left me stunned, 

faint all the day long” (Lam. 1:13).

Lord, in the depths of grief, 

may we keep turning to you, 

naming our honest complaint, 

and may we keep waiting 

to see you shed the light of your glory 

into our darkened hearts. 

May we trust that the day will come 

when the tears we have sown 

will be “reaped with shouts of joy” (Psalm 126: 5). 

Until that day comes, 

bring us the comfort only you can bring.

In Jesus’ merciful name. Amen.

Read Psalm 88; Lamentations 3; Psalm 126.