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A Prayer about Believing God’s Love is Unfailing

by | Mar 28, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Death and Resurrection, Easter, Lent

A Prayer about Believing God’s Love is Unfailing

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

Steadfastly Loving God,

I haven’t done a study on it, 

but I’m willing to bet the word “love” ranks high 

as one of the most common words and themes in Scripture, 

especially as it is associated with you. 

Here are just a few of the things the Bible says about 

what your love means for us:

“See how very much our Father loves us, 

for He calls us His children, and that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1)

“But God showed His great love for us 

by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8).

“For this is how God loved the world: 

He gave His one and only Son, 

so that everyone who believes in Him 

will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16)

“For the LORD corrects those He loves, 

just as a father corrects a child in whom He delights” (Proverbs 3:11-12).

The question we must answer is 

do we believe 

in your everlasting, 

unfailing, 

unearned, 

undeserved 

love for us? 

And if we do, 

how will we respond? 

Will we live in the security of your love, 

loving our neighbors 

and even ourselves (who we sometimes find hardest to love)? 

Will we live without fear, 

because your perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18)? 

Will we live in service to you, 

grateful for your love to us? 

Oh, loving Lord, may it be so!

May we rest and rejoice in your incomprehensible love for us, today and every day!

In Jesus’ sacrificially loving name. Amen.

Read 1 John 3:1-3; John 3:16; Proverbs 3:11-12; 1 John 4:7-21.

A Prayer about Jesus’ Determination

by | Mar 27, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Death and Resurrection, Easter, Lent

A Prayer about Jesus’ Determination

And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise. Mark 10:34.

Lord Jesus,

Enlarge our imaginations 

so that we might walk with you 

on the day you told your disciples 

this alarming news. 

You were marching resolutely toward Jerusalem, 

toward your certain suffering and death. 

Your face was “set like a flint” (Isaiah 50:7), 

unwavering as you headed toward your final destination. 

Your followers were both “amazed” and “afraid,” 

maybe because you had twice before told them 

what would happen in Jerusalem (Mark 10:32; 8:31; 9:31).

Lord Jesus, enliven our hearts 

that we might be amazed again—

amazed that you moved on toward your mission, 

knowing what you knew—

that your opponents would mock you 

and spit on you 

and flog you 

and kill you;

amazed that because you willingly endured this suffering, 

we have full forgiveness for our sins; 

amazed that you rose from the dead 

and that by believing in you we are raised to new life. 

In your amazing name. Amen.

Read Mark 10:32-34; Mark 8:31; Mark 9:31; Isaiah 50:7. 

A Prayer about Never Dying

by | Mar 21, 2023 | aging, dying, and death, Daily Prayer, Death and Resurrection, Easter, Lent

A Prayer about Never Dying

Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ John 11:25-26

Lord Jesus,

How I love the true story 

in which you asked your beloved friend Martha this crucial question. 

Her brother, Lazarus has died, 

and she knows that you could have saved him, 

but you didn’t. 

Now he lies in a tomb, 

and she has the faith to say, 

“But even now, I know that whatever you ask from God, 

God will give you” (John 11:22).

And you made this bold assertion: 

“Your brother will rise again” (John 11:23). 

But you didn’t stop there. 

You revealed your true identity to Martha: 

‘I am the resurrection and the life.’ 

And you promised that anyone who believes in you 

will never die (John 11:25-26). 

Jesus, as we walk toward Resurrection Sunday, 

may we see you, the risen and ascended Jesus, 

not only risen from the dead 

but seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven (Hebrews 10:12). 

And may we address this most crucial question: 

“Do we believe this?” 

It is truly a matter of eternal life and eternal death. 

By your grace, may we believe.

Read John 11:1-44. 

A Prayer about Not Being Offended by Jesus

by | Mar 16, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Easter, Gospel living, Lent

A Prayer about Not Being Offended by Jesus

And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.’ And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief. Matthew 13:57-58

Lord Jesus,

In these days leading up to Easter, 

draw us to examine our hearts. 

As we read of people in your hometown 

wanting to throw you off a cliff (Luke 4:29) 

because they were so disappointed in you, 

we need to ask ourselves,

Do we ever take offense at you?

Do we have expectations 

of what you should do, 

of who you should be?

Do we sometimes miss out 

on your “mighty works…

because of [our] unbelief?” (Matthew 13:58). 

Do we know you so well 

that we start to take you for granted, 

that we fail to honor you? 

May it never be! 

Lord, show us our unbelief. 

Transform our hearts into megaphones 

maximizing our praise and honor of you, 

our glorious King.

In your saving name. Amen. 

Read Matthew 13:53-58.

A Prayer about Needing Salvation

by | Feb 22, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Easter, gratitude, Lent

A Prayer about Needing Salvation

Do not forsake me, O Lord! O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!

Psalm 38:21-22. 

Steadfastly-loving Lord,

We come to you again today, 

as we did yesterday, 

with David, mourning our own sin, 

seeing its ravaging effects 

on our hearts, souls, bodies, and minds. 

We waited for you, O Lord, 

and you answered us 

by sending your Son, 

our Savior (Psalm 38:15). 

We would be desperate 

if we did not know the hope we have in Jesus. 

Because he was forsaken on the cross, 

we will never be forsaken in our sin. 

We cry out to you with profound hope 

for forgiveness 

because you have already 

made haste to help us 

in Christ. 

Send us out to live and love 

in this great hope today and every day.

In Jesus’ forsaken name. Amen. 

Read Psalm 38.

A Prayer about Help for Our Sin

by | Feb 21, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Easter, Lent

A Prayer about Help for Our Sin

There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin. Psalm 38:3

Mighty and Merciful God,

Today, many Christians began an intentional time 

of reflecting on our sins 

as we prepare to celebrate 

the outrageously good news 

that Christ died and rose for those sins.

How appropriate then to join David 

in his mourning and anguish over his sin, 

as he cries out, 

“For my iniquities have gone over my head; 

like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me” (Psalm 38:4).

Lord, help us to see that without Christ, 

we’d be sunk by our sin. 

Help us to smell 

the festering wounds of our own foolishness (Psalm 38:5). 

But most of all, help us to collapse 

completely on your grace, 

crying out to you as David did, 

“O Lord, all my longing is before you; 

my sighing is not hidden from you,” 

knowing that “it is you, O Lord my God, 

who will answer” (Psalm 38:9, 15). 

In Jesus suffering name. Amen. 

Read Psalm 38.