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A Prayer about Perfect Peace

by | Apr 1, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Easter, Lent

A Prayer about Perfect Peace

Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.’

John 20:21

Heavenly Father, 

Even as Holy Week begins, 

may we remember its conclusion. 

In the days leading up to his death, 

Jesus suffered physical, mental, and emotional pain. 

And yet, he always remained at peace, 

because he knew he had been sent by you to complete a mission—

to bring your people back to your loving embrace.

Now, we your people carry on that mission. 

And sometimes we too will suffer physical, mental, and emotional pain. 

When we do, 

may we remember Christ’s words 

and know his profound comfort: 

‘Peace be with you.’

In Jesus’ peace-bringing name. Amen.

Read John 20:19-23.

A Prayer about Dying to Bear Fruit

by | Mar 31, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Lent, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Dying to Bear Fruit

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. John 12:24-25

Lord Jesus,

I’m not much of a gardener, 

but I do know that you begin by burying a seed in dirt, 

and then, if all goes well,

a few days or weeks later, 

something green starts to poke out of that dirt. 

I also know that if properly nurtured, 

that green poke 

will turn into a stalk 

and eventually bear the fruit 

of a cherry tomato 

or a mammoth sunflower 

or a juicy piece of corn. 

As we approach the days 

when we celebrate your death and resurrection, 

may we remember our calling 

to be buried with you 

that we might rise with you. 

May we learn to let go of the things 

we think are so precious and necessary in our daily lives 

in order to discover 

the precious and necessary life you have for us, 

a flourishing life of bearing fruit, 

an eternal life of joy and glory. 

In your fruit-bearing name. Amen. 

Read John 12:20-26.

A Prayer about Loving God and Loving Others

by | Mar 30, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Lent

A Prayer about Loving God and Loving Others

‘And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Mark 12:30-31

Triune God,

In a day when hatred seems more common than love, 

when mocking seems more common than meekness, 

when taking offense seems more common than taking up our cross, 

we confess, the greatest commandment seems impossible. 

And yet, you have not only called us to love you 

with all of our beings, our hearts, our souls, our minds, our strength, 

you have empowered us through your Spirit to do so. 

You have not only called us to love you in this way, 

but you have called us to love our neighbors 

(including strangers and enemies) 

as much as we love ourselves (which we have to admit, is a lot!)

Thank you for Jesus, who loved us, 

Your enemies, 

so much that he died 

so that we might become your friends. 

May we live and love 

out of our gratitude 

for his sacrifice 

and out of the power 

of his resurrection. 

In Jesus’ loving name. Amen.

Read Mark 12:28-34. 

A Prayer about Honoring Jesus

by | Mar 29, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Easter, Gospel living, Lent

A Prayer about Honoring Jesus

In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her. Matthew 26:12-13

Lord Jesus, 

How often we, 

like the disciples, 

have different values than yours.

They were alarmed that Mary had anointed your head 

with her expensive ointment (Matthew 26:6-7; John 12:3). 

Religious and practical, 

they called her sacrifice “a waste,” 

saying the ointment could have been sold 

and the money given to the poor (Matthew 26:8). 

(Judas was disgusted because he wanted to sell it 

and take the money for himself (John 12:6). 

You disagreed, telling the disciples, 

“she has done a beautiful thing for me” (Matthew 26:10). 

You knew you would soon die, 

and your followers’ opportunity 

to enjoy and honor you in person 

would come to an end. 

Save us, Lord, from our self-made plans to serve you. 

Draw us to your feet, to see you as Mary did, 

to know your desires as Mary did, 

and to love you “impractically” as Mary did. 

Grow our enjoyment of you, 

so that we will delight in your presence 

and focus our lives fully on you. 

In our devotion to you,

 may we show the world the good news 

of your sacrifice for us. 

In your worship-worthy name. Amen.

Read Matthew 26:6-16. 

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.