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A Prayer about Trusting God for Transformation

by | Jan 3, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, kingdom living, Seasons & Holidays, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Trusting God for Transformation

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

and do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make straight your paths.  Proverbs 3:5-6

Faithful God,

As this new year begins, I and others are making plans, 

hopefully good, God-authored plans 

to pursue the unique callings you have given us.

As we do so, help us to take stock of the unique gifts 

and wounds you have written into our lives:

[Name some of the gifts God has given you—

unique story, abilities, passions, etc. 

and some of the wounds you’ve experienced (because God works to redeem all things].

Guide us by your Holy Spirit to see 

the people, places, and things 

you have called us to in the coming year.

[Take a few moments to listen to the Holy Spirit 

about the people, places, and things 

he is calling you to this year.]

Help us by the wisdom of Jesus, 

who had perfect boundaries, 

to know when to say “no.”

Help us by the grace of Jesus, 

who served perfectly, 

to know when to say “yes.”

In every step we take, 

may we look to you and trust you 

to complete the good works you have “prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10).  

Read Proverbs 3:5-6; Colossians 3:9-13; Ephesians 2:8-10.

A Prayer about Becoming Wise

by | Jan 2, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Seasons & Holidays, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Becoming Wise

“…wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?”

(Matthew 2:2).

Wise Lord,

As we enter this first week of the new year, 

how desperately we need your wisdom. 

We’ve seen the bumper stickers, and they nail it—

“Wise men still seek him.” 

Lord, indeed, the first way of wisdom 

is to seek Jesus. 

For years I didn’t realize that the wise men weren’t Jewish—

they were astrologers, 

interpreters of stars and signs and dreams, 

likely from Babylon. 

Maybe they had overheard some Israelites 

who were exiled there 

speaking of the “bright morning star” 

and they recognized the sign when they saw it. 

Lord, help us to recognize you, 

and to seek you in a much clearer sign—your Word. 

When the wise men saw the sign, 

they traveled far, probably around nine hundred miles, 

to find the “king of the Jews.” 

Lord, make us willing travelers 

who will enter the unfamiliar 

in order to see you and to share you with others. 

The wise men risked their lives in asking Herod, 

the appointed king of the Jews, 

where the real King of the Jews was. 

Lord, make us bold and courageous 

in telling the truth about our real King, Jesus. 

The wise men “rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” 

when they saw the star 

and when they discovered the child Jesus,

they “fell down and worshiped.” 

Lord, make us people who fall down and worship 

when we see you, 

and make us see you every single moment of every single day.

In the name of King Jesus we pray. Amen. 

Read Matthew 2: 1-12.

(This prayer was inspired by a sermon from our pastor, Joel Treick — you can listen at Pinewoods Church, December 19, 2021.)

A Prayer about Waiting for Redemption

by | Jan 1, 2023 | Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, kingdom living, Seasons & Holidays

A Prayer about Waiting for Redemption

And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:36

Heavenly Father,

What an attractive old woman Anna was. 

She was widowed young, 

after only seven years of marriage, 

and then she spent the rest of her life single. 

It would have been so easy to become bitter, 

especially in a society in which widows 

and single women were often outcasts. 

And yet, you gave Anna the gift 

we all most desire in this Christmas season, 

the gift of believing redemption would come 

in the midst of the broken story of her life, 

of the lives of her people. 

She spent years waiting for redemption, 

watching for you, 

waiting at your “home,” the temple, 

believing you would show up there one day. 

And she didn’t hide, 

keeping her hope to herself—

she was a prophetess, 

sharing the good news about you with others. 

Lord, would you make us like Anna 

as we await your second coming? 

Would you transform our vision 

so that what we solely seek 

is your arrival? 

Would you transform our tongues 

so that what we simply speak of 

is your salvation? 

Would you even allow us today 

to receive our King as Anna once did long long ago? 

In Jesus’ returning name we ask. Amen. 

Read Luke 2:36-38.

A Prayer about the New Things God Will Do in 2023

by | Dec 31, 2022 | Daily Prayer, kingdom living, Seasons & Holidays, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the New Things God Will Do in 2023

Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19

Lord of New Things,

On this New Year’s Day, 

we celebrate all of the new things 

you have already done, 

and all of the new things 

you will one day do 

when Jesus returns.

We thank you for the very new thing 

you did at Christmas over 2000 years ago—

You sent your Son as a weak and weeping infant-king. 

We praise you for the redeeming work 

he has already done in our lives. 

We look forward to the new things 

you have planned to do in us this year.

How will we fulfill our created and re-created purpose 

to enjoy and glorify you this year?

May we not scribble shallow “resolutions” today 

that we will break by next week; 

may we write prayers of purpose, 

seeking your creative power 

to radically transform our lives, 

to make us people 

who love our families, our friends, 

our neighbors, and our enemies. 

May our resolutions be far less 

about what we will do in 2022 

and far more about who we will become.

In Jesus’ transforming name. Amen. 

Read Isaiah 43:1-4, 19-21. 

A Prayer about Suffering with the Savior

by | Dec 30, 2022 | Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, Grief, Suffering

A Prayer about Suffering with the Savior

Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword shall pierce your soul also)…Luke 2:34-35

Comforting Father,

As this year draws to a close,

I know many look forward to a new year, 

hoping that it will soften the harsh edges 

of last year’s grief, looking forward to new joys. 

May it be so. 

And yet, as we consider the words of Simeon 

to Mary and Joseph, 

we see that the call of a Christian 

is to know the abiding joy of our salvation 

even as we suffer piercing swords in our souls. 

Jesus was born to die. 

We are called to be reborn to die—

to our consuming agendas, 

to our self-salvation strategies, 

to our demand for certainty and control. 

Like Mary and Joseph, 

we are always richly blessed 

by our Savior. 

Like Mary and Joseph, 

we will at times endure piercing pain 

as we follow our Savior.  

May we embrace our calling 

with hearts of hope, 

knowing that our Savior 

“endured the cross” 

“for the joy set before him,” 

the joy of making us your beloved children. 

In the name of our Suffering Savior, Jesus, 

we pray. Amen.

Read Luke 2:33-35.

A Prayer about Seeing Our Salvation

by | Dec 29, 2022 | Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, kingdom living

A Prayer about Seeing Our Salvation

Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation…Luke 2:29

Merciful God,

As we revisit this scene between Simeon 

and the eight-day-old Jesus, 

we pray you would write in us stories like Simeon’s:

Filled with the Holy Spirit…

Made righteous by Christ…

Waiting for your consolation…

Watching for our Savior…

Seeing him as our one and only salvation…

Illuminating his glory to all the peoples…

Believing that he alone makes us ready to die in peace.

Knowing our Savior has come, 

may we wait with confident hope 

for the day he will come again 

and restore us to himself. 

In Jesus’ saving name,

Amen.

Read Luke 2:25-32.