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A Prayer about Good Desires and Longings

A Prayer about Good Desires and Longings

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

Gracious and Generous Father,

Thank you for the desires you have placed in our hearts. 

Our longings for children, 

longings for a loving spouse, 

longings for close friends, 

longings for peace in our families, 

longings for rest from work,

longings for a safe place to live,

longings for physical healing,

are all good. 

They can all be traced back to the shalom

with which you created the world. 

According to Nicholas Wolterstorff, 

“To dwell in shalom is to enjoy living before God, 

to enjoy living in one’s physical surroundings, 

to enjoy living with one’s fellows, 

to enjoy life with oneself.”*

Lord, thank you for creating us 

for enjoyment of you 

and enjoyment of the good gifts 

you so generously give us. 

Thank you for transforming our desires 

as we continue to delight ourselves in you. 

When our hearts hurt because you have not chosen 

to fulfill good desires, 

draw us near to you and give us the comfort 

only you can give. 

Remind us that one day, 

Jesus will return, 

and we will eternally enjoy the shalom 

that fulfills our deepest longings. 

In Jesus’ desirable name. Amen.

Read  Psalm 37.

*From Nicholas Wolterstorff’s Till Justice and Peace Embrace.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17

Lord, 

We believe; help our unbelief.

We believe you have already come into our midst 

in the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

We believe you are a mighty one 

who has already saved us from our sins 

through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

But in the next line of this magnificent verse, 

we stutter and stumble. 

We think that maybe you will rejoice in us 

some day in the future 

when we are more holy, 

that you will love us 

some day in the future 

when we never sin again,

that you will exult in us with loud singing 

some day in the future 

when we’ve finally earned our way to heaven.

But that’s not what Scripture tells us.

The gospel good news 

for all who trust in Jesus

is that right this minute, 

you are rejoicing over us, 

right this minute

you are quieting us with your love, 

right this minute

and you are exulting over us with loud singing. 

You saved us. 

You love us. 

You delight in us. 

You sing extra-loud over us, 

like the five-year-old who loves to sing 

at the top of his lungs 

because he’s so happy. 

Help us today to sit quietly 

and listen for the sound 

of your delight in us, 

and may that delight 

change the way we live and love 

today and every day. 

In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.

Read Zephaniah 3:14-20.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Thanking God for His Steadfast Love

A Prayer about Thanking God for His Steadfast Love

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 136:1

God of gods, Lord of lords,

We give thanks to you, for you are good, 

and your steadfast love endures forever.

We give thanks for the great wonders you alone can do:

[Name aspects of creation you are thankful for today (sun, moon, sea, stars, etc.).]

for your steadfast love endures forever.

We give thanks to you for striking down oppressive enemies:

[Name some specific ways God has defeated enemies in your life: think in terms of worldly or systematic evil, your own sin, and the devil.]

for your steadfast love endures forever.

We give thanks to you for countless rescues:

[Name some ways God has rescued you throughout your life.]

for your steadfast love endures forever.

We give thanks to you for the inheritance you have given us:

[Name some of the many blessings you have, both material and spiritual.]

for your steadfast love endures forever.

We give thanks to you for your faithful provision:

[Name some ways God has provided for your needs, physical and spiritual.]

We give thanks to you, the God of heaven,

for your steadfast love endures forever.

In Jesus’ faithfully loving name. Amen.

Read Psalm 136.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17

Lord, 

We believe; help our unbelief.

We believe you have already come into our midst 

in the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

We believe you are a mighty one 

who has already saved us from our sins 

through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

But in the next line of this magnificent verse, 

we stutter and stumble. 

We think that maybe you will rejoice in us 

some day in the future 

when we are more holy, 

that you will love us 

some day in the future 

when we never sin again,

that you will exult in us with loud singing 

some day in the future 

when we’ve finally earned our way to heaven.

But that’s not what Scripture tells us.

The gospel good news 

for all who trust in Jesus

is that right this minute, 

you are rejoicing over us, 

right this minute

you are quieting us with your love, 

right this minute

and you are exulting over us with loud singing. 

You saved us. 

You love us. 

You delight in us. 

You sing extra-loud over us, 

like the five-year-old who loves to sing 

at the top of his lungs 

because he’s so happy. 

Help us today to sit quietly 

and listen for the sound 

of your delight in us, 

and may that delight 

change the way we live and love 

today and every day. 

In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.

Read Zephaniah 3:14-20.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Being in a Spiritual Battle

A Prayer about Being in a Spiritual Battle

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor, so you will be able to resist the enemy in time of evil. Ephesians 6:13

Lord of Angel-Armies,

May we never forget or discount the spiritual battle 

that rages right here right now. 

The evil one prowls around like a lip-licking lion, 

drooling over our vulnerability and frailty. 

He is a liar, a tempter, an accuser, and an adversary. 

His minions serve him, 

seeking to deceive us, 

to make us think 

lovely people are unlovely, 

to distract us from our mission to serve and glorify you, 

and degrade the dignity you have shaped into our image-bearing being. 

By the Holy Spirit, you have given us everything we need to defend ourselves 

against the accuser’s stratagems: 

the belt of truth, 

the breastplate of righteousness, 

the gospel slippers of peace, 

the shield of faith, 

the helmet of salvation, 

the sword of the Spirit. 

May we indeed arm ourselves 

against all the “cosmic powers over this present darkness” (Ephesians 6:12),

and resist the devil, that he may flee from us (James 4:7).

In Jesus’ peace-bringing name. Amen.

Read Ephesians 6:10-18.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17

Lord, 

We believe; help our unbelief.

We believe you have already come into our midst 

in the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

We believe you are a mighty one 

who has already saved us from our sins 

through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

But in the next line of this magnificent verse, 

we stutter and stumble. 

We think that maybe you will rejoice in us 

some day in the future 

when we are more holy, 

that you will love us 

some day in the future 

when we never sin again,

that you will exult in us with loud singing 

some day in the future 

when we’ve finally earned our way to heaven.

But that’s not what Scripture tells us.

The gospel good news 

for all who trust in Jesus

is that right this minute, 

you are rejoicing over us, 

right this minute

you are quieting us with your love, 

right this minute

and you are exulting over us with loud singing. 

You saved us. 

You love us. 

You delight in us. 

You sing extra-loud over us, 

like the five-year-old who loves to sing 

at the top of his lungs 

because he’s so happy. 

Help us today to sit quietly 

and listen for the sound 

of your delight in us, 

and may that delight 

change the way we live and love 

today and every day. 

In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.

Read Zephaniah 3:14-20.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Letting Jesus Lead

A Prayer about Letting Jesus Lead

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.” Matthew 16: 24

Precious Father,

How stunning that you, 

our heavenly, hallowed, (holy) Father, 

the perfectly right and just judge 

of the universe you created, 

invite us to call you “Abba,” 

best translated in English as “Daddy.”

You are a good Father,

Perfectly tender,

Perfectly strong,

Perfectly wise,

Perfectly loving.

You embodied your love in your Son, 

who, just before he died on a cross for our sins, 

told his disciples, in essence, 

“You must let me lead your life. 

You must release your white-knuckled grip 

on the steering wheel of your life.” 

When we do, we will discover that all along, 

it was an illusion, 

that you always had the wheel, 

that you were and are 

taking us on a ride 

that may not seem safe to us, 

but is definitely good for us, 

because it is part of your perfect journey 

of drawing us closer to you, 

of leading us to vistas of unspeakable glory, 

of transporting us to landscapes of our lives 

we never would have visited on our own.

Today we name the areas of our lives 

where we need you to unfurl our fingers, 

to hold our hands gently yet firmly, 

that we may not try to grip the wheel again.

[Name some areas you desperately want to control.]

Help us, Lord, 

to follow your beloved Son 

into the way of suffering, 

the way of glory. 

In his precious name we pray. Amen. 

Read Matthew 16:21-26. 



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17

Lord, 

We believe; help our unbelief.

We believe you have already come into our midst 

in the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

We believe you are a mighty one 

who has already saved us from our sins 

through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

But in the next line of this magnificent verse, 

we stutter and stumble. 

We think that maybe you will rejoice in us 

some day in the future 

when we are more holy, 

that you will love us 

some day in the future 

when we never sin again,

that you will exult in us with loud singing 

some day in the future 

when we’ve finally earned our way to heaven.

But that’s not what Scripture tells us.

The gospel good news 

for all who trust in Jesus

is that right this minute, 

you are rejoicing over us, 

right this minute

you are quieting us with your love, 

right this minute

and you are exulting over us with loud singing. 

You saved us. 

You love us. 

You delight in us. 

You sing extra-loud over us, 

like the five-year-old who loves to sing 

at the top of his lungs 

because he’s so happy. 

Help us today to sit quietly 

and listen for the sound 

of your delight in us, 

and may that delight 

change the way we live and love 

today and every day. 

In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.

Read Zephaniah 3:14-20.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Becoming Aware of the Spirit

A Prayer about Becoming Aware of the Spirit

And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. Acts 4:31

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit,

Forgive us for failing to recognize 

and celebrate the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. 

We are like “the husband in a bad marriage, 

living under the same roof as his wife, 

making constant use of his wife’s services, 

but failing to communicate with her, 

to recognize her presence, 

or to celebrate his relationship with her.”*

And yet, you, Heavenly Father, 

have chosen to communicate your presence 

in the Holy Spirit, 

so much so that David prayed, 

“Where shall I go from your Spirit? 

Or where shall I flee from your presence?” (Psalm 139:7).

And you, Lord Jesus, 

emphasized the necessity of the Spirit’s saving, 

helping, 

guiding, 

teaching, 

enlightening, 

comforting 

work in the lives of your disciples, 

saying things like, 

“And I will ask the Father, 

and he will give you another Helper, 

to be with you forever, 

even the Spirit of truth…” (John 14:17).

Assuring us, the Helper, the Holy Spirit…

”will teach you all things 

and bring to your remembrance 

all that I have said to you” (John 14:26).

You, Holy Spirit, teach us 

and fill us 

and change us, 

and intercede for us, 

making us ever more like our Savior, Jesus.

Even now, may we take a moment 

to rest from our praying 

and meditate on 

the wonder and power 

of your indwelling presence in our lives.

Amen.

Read John 14-16. 



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17

Lord, 

We believe; help our unbelief.

We believe you have already come into our midst 

in the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

We believe you are a mighty one 

who has already saved us from our sins 

through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

But in the next line of this magnificent verse, 

we stutter and stumble. 

We think that maybe you will rejoice in us 

some day in the future 

when we are more holy, 

that you will love us 

some day in the future 

when we never sin again,

that you will exult in us with loud singing 

some day in the future 

when we’ve finally earned our way to heaven.

But that’s not what Scripture tells us.

The gospel good news 

for all who trust in Jesus

is that right this minute, 

you are rejoicing over us, 

right this minute

you are quieting us with your love, 

right this minute

and you are exulting over us with loud singing. 

You saved us. 

You love us. 

You delight in us. 

You sing extra-loud over us, 

like the five-year-old who loves to sing 

at the top of his lungs 

because he’s so happy. 

Help us today to sit quietly 

and listen for the sound 

of your delight in us, 

and may that delight 

change the way we live and love 

today and every day. 

In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.

Read Zephaniah 3:14-20.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about God’s Wrath and Mercy

A Prayer about God’s Wrath and Mercy

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, ‘Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God. ’ Revelation 16:1

Holy, Wrathful, and Merciful Judge,

We confess, your wrath is not our favorite subject. 

It’s true, we may avoid it because of violent street-corner preachers 

who scream at us at a stoplight, 

but nonetheless, the Bible teaches that you will judge your enemies, 

those who rebel against you, 

those who refuse to name you as the Lord of the universe, 

those who prefer to rule their own lives. 

Today, help us to consider your wrath 

in the context of what we know about you and ourselves:

You are a holy God, 

perfectly just, perfectly righteous, 

so your wrath is not the impulsive, violent anger 

of a power-hungry abuser. 

We have all “sinned and fall short of” your glory (Romans 3:23). 

Our sin is dark, complex, toxic, and destructive.

You are compassionate and merciful, 

and because you are, 

despite your people’s rebellion, 

you “atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them…”; 

you “restrained your anger often 

and did not stir up your wrath” (Psalm 78:38). 

We long for justice to be done, for evil to be eradicated, 

for the day of no more racism, abuse, genocide, murder, rape, 

or any other betrayal of your love 

or demeaning of the dignity 

of your image-bearers.

You send us out to share the good news of your grace, 

to invite others to know your love and kindness 

and mercy and forgiveness. 

Help us to see you rightly 

so that we may thank you 

for your appropriate and deserved wrath 

against all evil. 

In Jesus’ saving name. Amen. 

Read Revelation 15-19; Psalm 78:38; Romans 3:23; Romans 5:6-9. 



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17

Lord, 

We believe; help our unbelief.

We believe you have already come into our midst 

in the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

We believe you are a mighty one 

who has already saved us from our sins 

through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

But in the next line of this magnificent verse, 

we stutter and stumble. 

We think that maybe you will rejoice in us 

some day in the future 

when we are more holy, 

that you will love us 

some day in the future 

when we never sin again,

that you will exult in us with loud singing 

some day in the future 

when we’ve finally earned our way to heaven.

But that’s not what Scripture tells us.

The gospel good news 

for all who trust in Jesus

is that right this minute, 

you are rejoicing over us, 

right this minute

you are quieting us with your love, 

right this minute

and you are exulting over us with loud singing. 

You saved us. 

You love us. 

You delight in us. 

You sing extra-loud over us, 

like the five-year-old who loves to sing 

at the top of his lungs 

because he’s so happy. 

Help us today to sit quietly 

and listen for the sound 

of your delight in us, 

and may that delight 

change the way we live and love 

today and every day. 

In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.

Read Zephaniah 3:14-20.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker