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A Prayer about the Wonder of Christ Praying for Us

by | Sep 17, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Prayer, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Wonder of Christ Praying for Us

Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25

Interceding Lord,

We are awed to think that you are our chief prayer warrior!

Scripture tells us that you are interceding on our behalf 

right now with the Father, 

presenting us as righteous in your righteousness, 

cleansed by your blood. 

If we wonder what kinds of things you pray on our behalf, 

we can look to the “high priestly prayer” in John 17, 

the prayer you prayed over all disciples 

just before you went to the cross. 

You prayed that we would have eternal life, 

and you said that eternal life consisted 

in knowing your Father as the one, true God, 

and you as the glorified Son (John 17:3). 

You prayed that we would know 

that we belong to you as your treasured bride (John 17:6; Ephesians 5:22).

You prayed that we would be protected from the evil one (John 17:15).

You prayed that we would overflow with your joy (John 17:13).

You prayed that we would be sanctified, set apart by your holiness (John 17:16-19).

You prayed that we would share our hope in you with the hurting world (John 17:18).

You prayed that we would be unified with one another by our union with you.

You prayed that we would glow with your glory in that unity (John 17:24).

You prayed that we would spill over with the love of the Father for the Son and the Father for his people, so that the world may know the kindness of the Father and the love of the Son (John 17:26).

Jesus, by your Spirit, 

we ask that you would embolden us to pray 

for others and ourselves 

as you pray for us, 

that we may live your gospel beauty 

before a watching world. 

In your praying name we ask.Amen.

Read John 17. 



A Prayer about Forgiveness

by | Sep 16, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Forgiveness

And forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. Matthew 6:12

Holy God,

Forgive us for our disbelief in the forgiveness of sins.

As C. S. Lewis points out, 

In the Apostles Creed, 

we say that we believe in the forgiveness of sins. 

But if we affirm this truth with our minds and our mouths, 

we must examine the way we actually live. 

And when it comes down to it, 

much of our confession of sin 

is really making a case for ourselves 

about why our sin is excusable: 

“We are so anxious to point these (excuses) out to God (and to ourselves) 

that we are apt to forget 

the really important thing; 

that is, the bit left over…

the bit which is inexcusable, 

but not, Thank God, unforgivable.”* 

As Lewis points out, 

if we don’t really believe God will forgive us our sins, 

we live in anxiety. 

What we need is “real forgiveness,” 

which looks 

“steadily at the sin, 

the sin which is left over without any excuse…

and seeing it in all its horror, dirt, meanness, and malice, 

and nevertheless being wholly reconciled 

to the man who has done it.”

Oh, Lord, you have indeed looked at our sin 

and seen it for what it is. 

And you have sent your Son to die 

for that very same sin. 

And because we are united to him by faith, 

we are fully reconciled to you. 

This is an astonishing truth, 

seemingly too good to be true, 

and yet not too good to be real.

In the name of our Savior we pray.

Amen. 

Read Matthew 6:12; 1 John 1:9; Romans 1:18-2:1. Romans 5:6-11.

*This prayer inspired by C.S. Lewis’s essay “On Forgiveness,” in The Weight of Glory and Other Essays, 134-136.

**This prayer is part of a celebration of the one-year anniversary of the free online community, the NYD Network, which offers gospel-centered encouragement and equipping for issues of aging, caregiving, legacy, and end-of-life. Why not join today or invite someone you love to join? (It’s FREE!) Link: https://numberingyourdaysnetwork.mn.co/share/B5q0dGGIOR0f996K?utm_source=manual



A Prayer about Confessing Our Sins

by | Sep 15, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Confessing Our Sins

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. 

James 5:16

Forgiving Father,

I recently read Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s exhortation 

to confess our sins to a brother or sister in Christ.* 

While we don’t want to make the mistake 

of thinking that we must confess our sins to another person 

in order to be forgiven, 

and while we don’t believe that any human 

has the authority of Christ to forgive us our sins, 

we do need to recognize that confession of our sins, 

sometimes to another human being, 

is crucial to living in the “freedom for which Christ set us free” (Gal. 5:1).

Show us, Father, if we are lying to ourselves 

when we only confess sins privately to you; 

show us if we need to take a sin out of the darkness 

into the light of gracious fellowship, 

a few close friends, 

or a trusted ministry leader, 

who can remind us of the hope your Word offers

about sin, temptation, and forgiveness. 

Help us not to “conceal our transgressions” 

but to “confess” them and “forsake them” (Proverbs 28:13). 

As we confess our sins, 

may we remember and believe 

that you are “faithful and just to forgive our sins 

and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

In Jesus’ forgiving name. Amen. 

Read Galatians 5:1; Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9; James 5:16. 

This prayer inspired by Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book, Life Together. #prayer **This prayer is part of a celebration of the one-year anniversary of the free online community, the NYD Network, which offers gospel-centered encouragement and equipping for issues of aging, caregiving, legacy, and end-of-life. Why not join today or invite someone you love to join? (It’s FREE!) Link: https://numberingyourdaysnetwork.mn.co/share/B5q0dGGIOR0f996K?utm_source=manual



A Prayer about the Necessity of Christian Community

by | Sep 14, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Necessity of Christian Community

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. 

2 Corinthians 5:18

Reconciling Father,

Yesterday, we prayed about 

your treasured gift of Christian community, 

today, we remember its necessity.

You could have shared the message of the gospel without us,

but you designed us to serve you by spreading the good news.

As Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, 

“But God put his Word into the mouth of human beings 

so that it may be passed on to others….

[You have] willed that we should seek and find 

God’s living Word in the testimony of other Christians.”*

This is why we must seek out face-to-face fellowship 

with those who know and love the good news of the gospel. 

Because the “Christ in my heart is weaker 

than the Christ in the word of other Christians.”*

Thank you for that sister who spoke up in Sunday school, 

sharing her favorite verse; 

thank you for how her words reminded me 

that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 

Thank you for our faithful Bible study leaders, 

who study the lesson and draw us to see the truths in your Word 

we would never have seen on our own. 

Thank you, of course, for our faithful pastors and ministry leaders, 

who work so hard to preach and teach the gospel week after week,

year after year. 

Our hearts are indeed “uncertain” 

when we are left to ourselves; 

with our brothers and sisters in Christ, we become sure.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Read 2 Corinthians 5:17-21. 

This prayer inspired by Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book, Life Together. Quotes from page 32. 

**This prayer is part of a celebration of the one-year anniversary of the free online community, the NYD Network, which offers gospel-centered encouragement and equipping for issues of aging, caregiving, legacy, and end-of-life. Why not join today or invite someone you love to join? (It’s FREE!) Link: https://numberingyourdaysnetwork.mn.co/share/B5q0dGGIOR0f996K?utm_source=manual



A Prayer about the Treasure of Christian Community

by | Sep 13, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Treasure of Christian Community

I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete. 2 John 1:2

Gracious God, 

Creator of Christian community, 

help us to marvel at the good gift 

of face-to-face fellowship 

with other believers. 

In recent years, 

we learned how privileged we are

to be able to gather safely together 

with the body of Christ. 

After the season of social distancing, 

it took some of us awhile 

to get used to being together again, 

and it can still be tempting 

to “watch the livestream” 

rather than to get up, get dressed, and get to church. 

Oh, Lord, may it not be so! 

Help us to understand 

what imprisoned theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer understood 

when he wrote, “visible community is grace.”* 

Help us to see that face-to-face fellowship 

is a foretaste of the day 

when you will 

“gather us in…

for you have redeemed us” (see Zechariah 10:8-9). 

Help us to remember that 

“we belong to one another 

only through and in Jesus Christ.” 

Help us to remember 

that Jesus broke down the dividing wall of hostility 

that we might be united, 

as one community in Christ, 

for all of eternity. 

One day soon we will see Jesus face to face, 

but until then, 

may we enjoy your wonder-full gift 

of face-to-face fellowship 

with our dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

In Jesus’ uniting name. Amen.

Read Zechariah 10:8-12; 1 Thessalonians 3:10; Psalm 42:4; Ephesians 2:14-18. 

*This prayer was inspired and informed by Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s great book, Life Together. First quote is from p. 28 and second from p. 33.

**This prayer is part of a celebration of the one-year anniversary of the free online community, the NYD Network, which offers gospel-centered encouragement and equipping for issues of aging, caregiving, legacy, and end-of-life. Why not join today or invite someone you love to join? (It’s FREE!) Link: https://numberingyourdaysnetwork.mn.co/share/B5q0dGGIOR0f996K?utm_source=manual



A Prayer about Praying in Stories of Suffering

by | Sep 10, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth, Suffering

A Prayer about Praying in Stories of Suffering

She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. Luke 2:36 

Answering God, 

How we thank you for the story of Anna, 

the 84-year-old widow who had known deep suffering. 

In her world, losing a husband meant losing everything — 

financial provision, status, power. 

And yet, Anna, who lost her husband after only seven years of marriage, 

by your grace, 

chose not to become embittered by suffering, 

staying close to you in the temple, 

listening to your Word, 

worshiping you, 

fasting and praying, 

“night and day.” 

May we follow Anna’s lead when life seems out of control—

When our adult children make decisions we disagree with,

When our grandchildren make mayhem of their young lives,

When our bodies make a mess of our plans to age gracefully….

Let us pray.

As we pray, our faith grows: 

we remember the countless stories of your redemption.

As we pray, our hope grows: 

we envision the redemption that will come in the midst of hard stories.

As we pray, our love grows: 

we live out Christ’s love in a way that invites the hurting to come to you.

In prayer, we learn to wait well for your redemption.

In prayer, we hear your astounding answer, 

redemption in Christ,

And we begin to pray again, 

thanking you for your kindness 

sharing the good news of Christ with others. 

In Jesus’ redeeming name. Amen.

Read Luke 2:36-38.