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A Prayer about Becoming Fruitful Fig Trees

by | Mar 25, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Easter

A Prayer about Becoming Fruitful Fig Trees

And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, ‘May no fruit ever come from you again!’ And the fig tree withered at once. Matthew 21:18

 

Creator God,

We confess, 

many of us are as confused 

as the disciples about why you cursed the fig tree. 

What we don’t understand 

is that the fig tree represents Israel, your people, 

who had been saved for a purpose: 

to bear fruit (grow figs); 

yet they repeatedly turned away from you, 

the God who saved them: 

“What I gave them has passed away from them” (Jeremiah 8:13). 

Their leaves of life had withered 

and their figs of fruit had passed away.

Lord, save us from our wayward hearts. 

Help us to grasp 

that Christ’s death and resurrection 

alone will change us into fruit-bearing trees, 

flourishing in your kingdom, 

waving our bright green leaves 

and offering others a taste 

of the rich juicy fruit of your glory. 

In Jesus’ fruit-bearing name. Amen. 

Read Matthew 21:18-22; Mark 11:12-14.

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about the Humiliation Jesus Endured

by | Mar 22, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Easter, Lent

A Prayer about the Humiliation Jesus Endured

And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him. Mark 15:19-20

King of the Universe,

Open our minds and our hearts

to take in the humiliation 

you endured on our behalf. 

You had already submitted 

to scourging and a mock trial. 

You had been condemned to death by Pilate. 

But before you could die the death you must die, 

some rowdy soldiers wanted to have some fun with you. 

They dressed you in a purple cloak 

and a makeshift crown of thorns. 

They mocked you, 

kneeling before you and shouting, 

“Hail, King of the Jews!” 

(How little did they know how right they were — 

King of the Jews, and the Romans, and the Gentiles, 

and every nation, tongue, tribe, and people group.) 

They spit on your face 

and beat your head with their clubs. 

As we imagine such coarse brutality against you, 

may we adore you all the more,

awed that you endured such suffering, 

“for the joy set before” you, 

“to sit at the right hand of the throne of God,” 

knowing you have won our victory 

over the brutality of sin forever and ever. 

In your humble and kingly name. Amen.

Read Mark 15:16-20; Hebrews 12:1-3.

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

 

A Prayer about Joy on Easter Monday

by | Apr 9, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Death and Resurrection, Easter

A Prayer about Joy on Easter Monday

So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!”…Matthew 28:8-9

Risen Lord,

On this Easter Monday, 

the day after we celebrated your resurrection, 

enlarge our imaginations and renew our wonder. 

May we see Mary Magdalene and the other Mary 

trembling before the angels who startle them with their news, 

“Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 

He is not here, for he is risen, as he said” (Matthew 28:6). 

I love to imagine their astonishment 

as they saw the angels; 

I love even more to think of how amazed 

they must have been to meet you 

along the road as they ran back toward Galilee. 

What joy they must have felt as you called out to them, 

“Greetings,” 

which translates the Greek word for “joy.”

Lord, this Easter Monday, 

fill us with the best Monday motivation 

for whatever lies before us this week: 

the joy that you have truly risen from the dead. 

The hope that because of you, 

we have been made into new creation. 

The faith that you are even now 

making us more and more like you every day. 

In your risen name we pray. Amen. 

Read Matthew 28:1-10.

A Prayer about the Surprise of a Risen Lord

by | Apr 8, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Death and Resurrection, Easter, Lent

A Prayer about the Surprise of a Risen Lord

Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?’ John 20:15

Gracious, Powerful, Startling, Risen Lord, 

It is almost funny to think of how your unbelieving enemies 

might have scurried around on that first Resurrection Day, 

making last-ditch attempts to cover up the truth about the one who covers our sins. 

We confess, we could have been them, 

or we could have been Peter, who denied you three times, 

or we could have mistaken you for the gardener, 

or we might have had a long theological discussion 

with you and not realized 

you were the King of theology, 

the walking, breathing, theology we always need.

Help us, we pray, to humble ourselves, 

to be willing to ride on a donkey or in a thirty-year-old Datsun, 

for love of our risen Savior. 

Teach us the difference 

between your righteous anger and our often self-righteous anger.

Free us to worship you with abandon, 

anointing you with precious perfume or lavishing you with unending praise.

Work in us so that we may work for you, 

washing dirty feet or changing smelly diapers.

Draw us daily nearer and nearer to you that we might live boldly, 

as a resurrected people raised from the death of our sins 

by the Savior who descended to the dead 

to put them to death. 

May we shout with triumph 

on this marvelous day, 

He is risen!

He is risen indeed!

In your transforming name. Amen. 

Read John 20:13-29. 

Note: This prayer is based on my Holy Week devotional, The Gospel Day-by-Day. Get your Holy Week devotional e-book free now. Link in profile or copy/paste link into browser: http://eepurl.com/b__teX.

A Prayer about Silent Saturday

by | Apr 7, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Death and Resurrection, Easter, Lent

A Prayer about Silent Saturday

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. Revelation 21:4

Heavenly Father,

It’s the Saturday before Easter, 

the day Christians historically call “Silent Saturday.” 

That first Saturday after Jesus died 

would have been silent indeed; 

not only was it the Sabbath, 

but for all who loved and followed Jesus, 

it was a day of confusion, doubt, and deep grief. 

Unlike us, they didn’t know what would happen on Sunday. 

Father, on what may be a busy Saturday 

for many of us, 

as we take kids to Easter egg hunts 

or run to the grocery store 

for last-minute brunch items, 

I pray we will take time to be silent, 

to remember how tragic our story would have been 

if this story had ended on Saturday. 

I pray that we will also remember those 

who are walking in seasons of Silent Saturdays,

days of dark grief and devastating sorrow. 

Even as we remember, 

may we glimpse the rays of resurrection hope 

rising to crowd out the darkness. 

Even as we remember, 

may we look forward to the day 

of no more mourning, no more sorrow, no more tears (Revelation 21:4).

In Jesus’ hopeful name. Amen.

Read Matthew 27:62-66; Revelation 21:1-5.

Note: This prayer is based on my Holy Week devotional, The Gospel Day-by-Day. Get your Holy Week devotional e-book free now. Link in profile or copy/paste link into browser: http://eepurl.com/b__teX.’

A Prayer about the Good in Good Friday

by | Apr 6, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Death and Resurrection, Easter, Lent

A Prayer about the Good in Good Friday

‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ Matthew 27:46.

Tear-wiping God,

Many people have asked through the years, 

“How can we call it ‘Good Friday’ 

when it’s the day our Savior died?” 

In the same way, grieving friends may ask 

if there is anything good in these days,

the days of shootings, sickness, war, and death. 

Your answer to why Good Friday is good 

is your answer to all who mourn 

and to all who hate the brutality of sin and death. 

The Good in Good Friday comes from you, 

the through-and-through good Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Yes, Jesus was wrongly convicted in a mock trial.

Yes, Jesus was beaten and bloodied by Roman soldiers.

Yes, Jesus was mocked by many who previously praised him.

Yes, Jesus was subjected to the brutal death of crucifixion.

But God. But through it all, you were in control. 

Through it all, you were carrying out the plan 

that you, the triune God made from the beginning of time. 

It was a good plan. 

It was the only plan that could finally and forever 

restore your people to you. 

And in the moment that Jesus cried from the cross, 

“It is finished,” 

it became a completed plan. 

You had won victory over sin and death, 

and just three short days later, 

the “Son of Righteousness” would rise 

with “healing in [his] wings” (Malachi 4:2).  

Yes, it’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming. 

In the worst of our days on this earth, 

may we never forget the great hope of Good Friday.

In Jesus’ victorious name. Amen. 

Read Matthew 26:57-65; Matthew 27:1-61.

Note: This prayer is based on my Holy Week devotional, The Gospel Day-by-Day. Get your Holy Week devotional e-book free now. Link in profile or copy/paste link into browser: http://eepurl.com/b__teX.