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A Prayer about Learning from Younger People

by | Oct 27, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, kingdom living, legacy

A Prayer about Learning from Younger People

Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

1 Timothy 4:12

All-Wise God,

Just as we prayed yesterday 

about seeing that each member of the body of Christ 

has gifts given by the Spirit to bless the whole body, 

today we remember to look to and learn from youth in our body. 

I recently heard a podcast with a senior ministry team leader

 interviewing a teenager from her church,* 

and the young woman urged older people 

to reach out to teenagers and younger people, 

saying young people desperately need their wisdom and experience. 

This young woman set an example for me 

“in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” 

Lord, we confess, sometimes we don’t know 

what to do with younger generations, 

and yet, if we will look at them with compassion 

as Jesus looked on people of every age, 

if we will listen with curiosity, 

we have much to learn. 

And, as this teen woman so wisely said, 

“We need people in our lives

 who have walked with Christ much longer than we have.” 

Oh, Heavenly Father, may we heed her cry; 

may we be willing to learn from younger people 

and to pour into their lives. 

In Jesus’ compassionate name. Amen.

 

*Podcast can be found here: “Sanctuary Spectacles: Being a Teenage Woman in the Church” https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-encourage-womens-podcast/id1299190093?i=1000581527096

 

A Prayer about Knowing What Work We’re Called to Do

by | Oct 23, 2022 | Daily Prayer, kingdom living, Work

A Prayer about Knowing What Work We’re Called to Do

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God… 2 Cor. 5:20

Heavenly King,

Many of us struggle with knowing our calling 

and purpose here on this earth. 

We’re not sure which job we’re meant to do, 

or if we’re meant to not work outside the home 

at all in this season. 

As we begin this “work week,” 

show us that we all have a role to play 

in your heavenly kingdom. 

You have given us a title, 

“Ambassador for Christ,” 

and with it comes both privileges and responsibilities. 

We are called to share the good news 

of your peace treaty with others, 

to implore others on behalf of Christ the King—

be reconciled to God. 

We are called to protect the citizens of your country, 

to point them to their safe place in Christ. 

We are called to be compelling representatives of you, 

the King, in this foreign country of the world. 

One day, we will gather together 

with all who serve and worship you 

in your heavenly kingdom, 

the new heavens and the new earth. 

Meanwhile, we seek to do your will 

in carrying out your kingdom plan. 

Energize for us this work this week, 

and show us where you would have us go 

with your message.

In the name of Christ our King we pray. Amen.

Read 2 Corinthians 5:14-21. 

 

A Prayer about the Lord’s Generosity

by | Oct 21, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, gratitude, kingdom living, worship, gratitude

A Prayer about the Lord’s Generosity

Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. Proverbs 3:9-10

Generous Father,

How kind and generous you have been with us! 

You have [blessed us in the city, 

blessed us in the field,

 blessed the fruit of our womb 

and the fruit of our ground 

and the fruit of our cattle…

You have blessed our basket

 and our kneading bowl. 

You have blessed us 

when we came in 

and when we went out.] (See Deuteronomy 28:2-6). 

Protect us, Lord, from the temptation to believe 

that our money belongs to us. 

Help us to remember always 

that you are the giver of all good gifts. 

Help us to return to you 

a healthy portion of what you have first given us. 

In so doing, 

we may find our barns filled with plenty 

and our vats bursting with wine, 

or we may not. 

But we will most definitely know 

the profound joy of being freed 

from the “love of money,” 

which can lead us 

to greediness and self-destruction. (See 1 Timothy 6:10). 

Even more, may we treasure most 

the inheritance of grace we have in your Son, 

our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

In his sacrificial name we pray. Amen. 

Read Proverbs 3:9-10; Deuteronomy 28:1-14; 1 Timothy 6:10. 

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A Prayer about Turning to God in Shame

by | Oct 19, 2022 | Daily Prayer, gratitude, kingdom living, worship, gratitude

A Prayer about Turning to God in Shame

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. Psalm 25:1-2

Merciful Lord,

When we feel shame, 

whether over our own sins 

or over terrible mistakes we’ve made, 

some of us want to run and hide; 

others want to blame and accuse. 

Whatever our instinct, 

may we, with David, 

lift up our souls to you. 

May we do it even now, 

lifting our hands, 

placing in them our hearts, souls, minds, and bodies, 

raising them toward you, 

surrendering them to you. 

For we have every reason to trust in you 

to care well for our souls. 

Sometimes we trust in others 

for that forgiveness or approval or security or significance, 

but you alone are safe for such trust. 

When enemies shout and jeer at us, 

whether enemies with faces we can see and voices we can hear 

or the enemy, 

the one who loves to tell us we’re “bad,” 

“not enough,” 

“unforgiven,” 

“shameful,” 

make us deaf to their cries. 

Turn our ears instead toward you, 

that we might hear you 

singing your love for us: 

“You shall no more be termed Forsaken…

but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her” (Isaiah 62:4). 

As we hear your delight, rest us in your embrace.

In Jesus’ shame-enduring name we ask. Amen. 

Read Psalm 25; Isaiah 62:2-5.

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A Prayer about the Impossible Woman

by | Oct 17, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, kingdom living

A Prayer about the Impossible Woman

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30

Jesus, our True Wisdom,

We thank you for your Holy Spirit, 

who gives us wisdom 

to understand life 

and to understand 

that this woman in Proverbs 31 is meant to be an ideal, 

a composite of various features 

that make a godly woman. 

As I was reading about her the other day, 

I thought of the high expectations placed on women in American culture: 

we are often expected to have highly successful careers 

while at the same time being highly successful mothers 

raising highly successful children. 

Lord, we pray for women in our world, 

that we might turn away from both cultural expectations 

and some supposedly Christian expectations 

that are not your expectations. 

Help us not to worry too much about charm and beauty, 

or other things that will fade away.

Help us to be wise women, 

and to know what work you have called us to do, 

whether that be 

running a business (Proverbs. 31: 18), 

being a realtor (Prov. 31:16), 

sewing quilts (Prov. 31:22), 

or raising children (Prov. 31:27). 

Help us to clothe ourselves in strength and dignity, 

not in comparison and competition. 

Help us, most of all, 

to live in awe and gratitude of you, 

to “fear the Lord,” 

to enjoy you and glorify you 

as the women you have called us to be. 

In your gracious name. Amen.

Read Proverbs 31.

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A Prayer about Asking Wrongly

by | Oct 13, 2022 | Daily Prayer, kingdom living, Prayer, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Asking Wrongly

You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. James 4:3

Generous Father,

As we continue to consider the difference 

between living out of the world’s wisdom 

or your wisdom, 

we see how the world’s wisdom 

hinders our prayers. 

If “bitter jealousy and selfish ambition” 

drive us, then we quarrel and fight, 

we go to war with one another. 

We even murder, James says (James 4:2).

If we become murderous in our thoughts 

and demanding in our desires, 

we won’t even dare to approach you 

to ask about them. 

We know something is off. 

If we do ask from such a state, 

we probably won’t receive (James 4:3),

because why would you hand 

a murderous, power-hungry woman 

a sword to commit the crime? 

There is only one hope 

for our bitter jealousy and selfish ambition: 

“[You] give more grace. 

[You] oppose the proud, 

but give grace to the humble” (James 4:6). 

May we indeed in all of our prayer, 

submit ourselves to you, draw near to you, 

and resist the devil, that he may flee from us. 

As we humble ourselves before you, 

you do the most amazing thing—

you exalt us (James 4:7-10). 

Thank you for your incomprehensible grace, 

saving Lord. Amen.

Read James 4:1-10.