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A Prayer about the Hope for Sins, Transgressions, and Iniquities

by | Mar 18, 2023 | Daily Prayer, gratitude, Lent

A Prayer about the Hope for Sins, Transgressions, and Iniquities

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Psalm 51:3

God of Abundant Mercy,

We return to David’s prayer of confession today 

to name our own sins, transgressions, and iniquities:

We know our transgression—

ways we’ve crossed the line, 

taken your good gifts and turned them into demands.

[Name some ways you’ve crossed the line.]

We need cleansing from our sin—

ways we’ve fallen short 

of the high mark Jesus set 

for loving our friends, family, neighbors, and enemies.

[Name some ways you’ve fallen short of the love Jesus commands.]

We need to be washed thoroughly from our iniquity—

our distorted way of seeing the world and walking in it, 

for indeed, we were born in iniquity (Psalm 51:2; 5).

[Name some ways your view of God’s world is distorted.]

We know our desperate need for a Savior, 

and we thank you and praise you 

for the perfectly righteous One you sent, 

who died that we may be washed 

“whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7).

In Jesus’ freeing name. Amen. 

(Thanks to ligonier.org for their helpful article, “What is the difference between sin, transgression, and iniquity?”).

A Prayer about God Hiding His Face From Sin

by | Mar 17, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Lent

A Prayer about God Hiding His Face From Sin

Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Psalm 51:9

Most Merciful God,

What a bold and beautiful legacy of confession 

King David left us in Psalm 51.

David’s is one of the better known 

sin-stories of Scripture: 

he committed adultery with Bathsheba, 

impregnating her, 

and then killed her husband 

in a cover-up attempt (2 Samuel 11-12). 

And yet, you called David a man after your own heart 

and taught us how to confess our most miserable sins, 

transgressions, and iniquities 

through his prayer of confession.

For you, our holy God, 

to look on sin is to punish it. 

So David asks you to turn your face away. 

His prayer predicts the moment 

you would turn your face away 

from your beloved Son 

as he died on the cross 

for every sin we would ever commit.

Because you turned away 

from your Son 

in that moment, 

Jesus blotted out all of our iniquities (Psalm 51:9), 

and you will never hide your face 

from those who belong to him.

What steadfast love and mercy is this! 

What a God, what a Savior!

In Jesus’ cleansing name. Amen.

Read Psalm 51. 

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 Giving Thanks to Our God

by | Mar 14, 2023 | Daily Prayer, gratitude, Lent, worship, gratitude

A Prayer about Giving Thanks to Our God

You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 118:28

Loving Lord,

May we address you as this psalmist does:

Firmly, emphatically, declaring:

“You are my God,” 

not my children, my work, 

my dating life, my sports, my home, 

or any other thing on this earth 

that we sometimes serve and worship.

And oh, how thankful we are, 

with the psalmist, 

that you are our God, 

because you have rescued us 

“out of [our] distress and set [us] free” (Psalm 118:5). 

[Name some of the distress he rescued you out of.]

Because you sent your Son to us, we “extol” you—

we praise you, 

we talk about how great you are and how much we love you.

[Name some things you love about God.]

And then, like the psalmist, 

we turn to others and invite them into our praise:

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good…” 

because we know your praise 

was always intended to be sung in a chorus, not as a solo.

In Jesus’ steadfast name. Amen.

Read Psalm 118:1-29.

A Prayer about Persistent Prayer

by | Mar 13, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Lent, Prayer

A Prayer about Persistent Prayer

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7

Good Father,

What a gift you have given us in prayer.

We are timid and doubtful 

and rarely dare to ask or seek or knock 

for the things we really need or want, 

and yet, you command us to do just that. 

The Greek words, “ask,” “seek,” “knock” 

would be better translated, 

“Keep on asking,”

“Keep on seeking,”

“Keep on knocking….”

You want us to ask again and again and again…

for you to transform that stubborn way 

we have of judging others into a gentle spirit 

that assumes the best.

You want us to seek your face 

again and again and again…

when we don’t understand 

why our child has to suffer with cancer 

or a learning disability 

or mental illness

 or loneliness.

You want us to knock again and again and again…

pleading with you to break down the walls 

that divide our world, 

begging you to put an end to all wars.

urging you to display your justice on this earth.

You have shown us that you are indeed a “good Father” 

who gives good gifts to your children.

So today, we ask, we seek, we knock.

[Name some things you’d like to ask your Father for].

In Jesus’ promise-keeping name. Amen. 

Read Matthew 7:7-11.

A Prayer about Becoming an Oak of Righteousness

by | Mar 12, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Lent

A Prayer about Becoming an Oak of Righteousness

That they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified… Isaiah 61:3

Lord Jesus,

As we prayed yesterday, 

we have much to mourn 

in our days on this earth: 

our sinful, rebellious hearts; 

our sorrow over injustice, poverty, 

broken relationships, sickness, war, and death. 

[Name something you are currently mourning.]

And yet, you say a day is coming 

when you will wipe away our ashes, 

when you will place on our heads 

“a beautiful headdress,”

anointing them 

with “the oil of gladness.” 

The day is coming 

when you will  remove our “faint spirits,” 

outfitting us instead in “the garment of praise” (Isaiah 61:3). 

In that day, we will  become “oaks of righteousness,” 

waving our wild and lovely branches 

in a swaying dance to your glory. 

Oh, Lord, hasten that day.

In your transforming name. Amen.

Read Isaiah 61:1-4; Psalm 45:7; Psalm 132:9; 2 Corinthians 5:21.