A Prayer about Hope, Joy, and Peace at Christmas

by | Dec 24, 2022 | Advent, Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Joy, Seasons & Holidays

A Prayer about Hope, Joy, and Peace at Christmas

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13

Lord of Hope,

You know one of our children’s favorite seasonal movies 

is The Polar Express,

though they’re long past 

imagining that the North Pole 

is where the main action of Christmas takes place. 

The movie, based on the wonderful book by Chris Van Allsburg, 

is about belief, 

but the belief is in a myth. 

Unlike  “Hero Boy,” 

we need a different kind of believing—

we need to believe that you, 

the true hero of our truest story, 

were born as a baby, 

grew as a child, 

taught in the temple, 

turned water into wine, 

raised people from the dead, 

died on a cross, 

and rose from the dead. 

It is in this belief 

that we find our deepest hope, 

our longed-for joy, 

and our perfect peace. 

By your Holy Spirit, 

grant us this belief 

today and every day.

In Jesus’ trustworthy name. Amen.

Read Romans 15:1-13.

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

A Prayer about Joy in the Midst of Sadness

by | Dec 21, 2022 | Advent, Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, Grief, Joy, Seasons & Holidays

A Prayer about Joy in the Midst of Sadness

Celebrate joyfully in the Lord, all the time. I’ll say it again: Celebrate! Philippians 4:4

Lord,

I love how theologian Tom Wright translates Philippians 4:4 

and what he teaches us about joy 

in his advent devotional:

Joy goes “hand in hand with hope:

it doesn’t mean 

that everything is already just as it should be,
only that with Jesus now enthroned as Lord 

we know it eventually will get there.”*

He encourages us to feel 

the depth of our emotions, 

including grief, 

because Jesus did. 

Today and every day of this week, 

I pray for my friends and for myself:

May we celebrate the joy Jesus brings,

even if we’re feeling sad or frustrated or lonely, 

knowing this is not the way it will always be, 

because you sent your Son into the world 

to make all things, 

including our emotions—

new.

In Jesus’ hope-bringing name. Amen. 

Read Philippians 4:4-9.

(From N.T. Wright’s Advent for Everyone, A Journey with the Apostles).

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

A Prayer about Monday Motivation before Christmas

by | Dec 18, 2022 | Advent, Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, Joy, Seasons & Holidays

A Prayer about Monday Motivation before Christmas

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing. Psalm 100:1–2 

 Almighty God,

As the final week of Advent begins, 

may we put making a “joyful noise” to you 

at the top, middle, and bottom 

of our to-do lists. 

Even as we go about preparing 

to celebrate the coming of Christ, 

may we focus first 

on serving you with gladness. 

May we not sing along mindlessly 

with Christmas music, 

but instead notice 

our many reasons for rejoicing,

“Rejoice, rejoice, 

Emmanuel shall come to thee, 

O Israel” (“O Come, O Come Emmanuel”),

“Joy to the world, 

the Lord is come!” (“Joy to the World”)

“O come all ye faithful, 

joyful and triumphant” (“O Come All Ye Faithful”).

Lord, because you have made us in your image, 

and because you have made us anew 

in Christ, 

we ask that you will make us 

joyful, 

believing that your zeal will accomplish this (Isaiah 9:7).

In Jesus’ joyful name. Amen.

Read Psalm 100. 

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

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 Praising Jesus

by | Nov 20, 2022 | Death and Resurrection, gratitude, Joy, worship, gratitude

A Prayer about Praising Jesus

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls…Matthew 11:29

 Gentle and Lowly Jesus,

To praise you 

is to name what is true about you every day, 

all the time, 

no matter how difficult 

our circumstances may be. 

You are compassionate and kind, 

even when a loved one is getting worse 

instead of better (Matthew 9:36),

You are gentle and forgiving, 

even when sin has gotten the best of us again (Luke 23:34),

You are patient and pain-bearing, 

even when hope for a baby has dimmed (1 Corinthians 13:4; 7),

You are the way, the truth, and the life, 

even when our hearts have wandered far off the path (John 14:6),

You are the bread of life, 

even when our budgets are shrinking (John 6:25-29),

You are the Good Shepherd, 

even when our children act like wayward sheep (John 10:11-14).

Precious Jesus, 

how we thank you for your 

steady, 

sturdy, 

always-loving heart 

for us. 

May we draw near to you 

every moment 

of every day 

for the saving help we need.

In your faith-full name. Amen.

Read Luke 23:34; 1 Corinthians 13; John 14:6; John 6:25-29; John 10:11-14.

 

A Prayer about Really “Getting” God’s Love

by | Nov 16, 2022 | body, Daily Prayer, Joy, Theology

A Prayer about Really “Getting” God’s Love

That you being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints the breadth and length and height and depth…Eph. 3:18

Heavenly Father, 

We confess, we just don’t fully get your love. 

We’ve never seen anything like it on this earth, 

unless we could imagine that the ocean, 

seemingly infinite in depth and length and width and height, 

was full of your love. 

You are love, 

and you can never be not-loving. 

We struggle to understand your love—

like a four-year-old learning to read, 

we might be able to make out some of the characters 

and even a word here or there, 

but a whole sentence or paragraph 

is more than we can handle. 

And yet, you have made a way for us 

to taste the sweetness of your love—

by the power of your Holy Spirit, 

you work in our “inner being,” 

and you tell us, “I love you.” 

You show us through story after story after story 

of your grace—

“My sinless Son died  for you….” 

“My sinless Son died for you….” 

Yes, while you were still a sinner (Romans 5:8). 

Yes, even though you still struggle with sin (Rom. 7:23-25). 

You belong to me, 

and I love you. 

I loved you from before the foundation of the world, 

and I will love you throughout eternity. 

Oh dear Father, 

give us the faith to ground ourselves in this love 

that we might love others 

as you have loved us. 

In Jesus’ eternally loving name. Amen. 

Read Ephesians 3:14-21.