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A Prayer about the Love that Binds Us Together

A Prayer about the Love that Binds Us Together

“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Romans 15:5-6

Lover of our Soul,

This Sabbath day, as we celebrate your love 

for your Bride, the Church,

and our love and gratitude for saving us, 

we pray for your healing and help 

that we may love one another well. 

In the past several years,

we’ve seen more disharmony in the church 

than at any time in recent history. 

Forgive us. Help us and heal us. 

Our hope lies in you, 

the God of “endurance and encouragement” (Romans 15:7).

By your Spirit, transform us 

so we may live as your Bride, the Church, 

in harmony with one another, 

glorifying you (Romans 15:7-8).

One day soon, our perfect Bridegroom will return, 

and we will all celebrate 

at the greatest wedding feast ever enjoyed (Revelation 19:7).

By your grace, may we live and love 

in eager anticipation of that day, starting today.

Read Romans 15:1-7; Revelation 19:7; Ephesians 5:25-27.



 

A Prayer about Remembering the Wonders of the Lord

A Prayer about Remembering the Wonders of the Lord

We will not hide these truths from our children;

    we will tell the next generation

about the glorious deeds of the Lord,

    about his power and his mighty wonders. Psalm 78:4

Wonder-Working God,

As a lover of stories, 

I’ve always appreciated Asaph’s call 

to tell the stories of the “glorious deeds, 

about his power and his mighty wonders” (Psalm 78:4).

Psalm 78 vividly portrays the terrible things that happen 

when we forget to remember and tell the stories of your deliverance: 

The Israelites forgot how you had divided the sea 

so they could escape from the Egyptians, 

and they became “stubborn and rebellious” (Psalm 78:8).

The Ephraimites forgot that you were their covenant-keeping King, 

their chief warrior, 

and they turned and ran away in the day of battle (Psalm 78:9).

What stories of your mighty wonders have we forgotten?

How you came to a teenage girl 

who never went to church 

and surrounded her with delightful and loving Christians, 

who showed her the way to hope in the midst of darkness?

[Name some wonders of your life you might have forgotten].

Everyday, may we remember the most wonder-full news:

You remembered your compassion 

and sent your Son to deliver us from our sins (Psalm 78:38).

In his saving name. Amen.

Read Psalm 78:1-72.



 

A Prayer about Not Judging Others

A Prayer about Not Judging Others

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.”

Matthew 7:1-2

Holy Lord,

Help us to correctly understand your prohibition against judging. 

On the one hand, you “prohibit a critical spirit.”*

On the other, you do “not forbid the use of all critical faculty.”*

We are not to judge for a number of reasons: 

First, God is the only one worthy to judge us.

Second, we’ve got a blind spot 

as big as Texas 

blocking our view of  our own hearts.

Third, we’ve been forgiven our sins so fully by you, 

why would we judge someone else’s sins? 

On the other hand, you have provided us 

with wisdom and “righteous judgment” (John 7:24).

You have given us the Holy Spirit 

to show us what is true and what is false. 

And you instructed your disciples 

about an honorable way to approach a brother or sister 

when they have sinned against us.

Lord, only by your Spirit and by your guidance 

can we properly judge anyone or anything. 

May we enlighten our minds and hearts with your Word 

that we might live out your love in this world.

In your advocating name. Amen.

Read Matthew 7:1-6; John 7; 1 John 4:1. 

*I’m grateful for the Matthew commentary by Daniel Doriani that helped me understand this passage better. 



 

A Prayer about Our Soul-Thirst

A Prayer about Our Soul-Thirst

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Psalm 42:2

Thirst-filling Lord,

Today we lift up all who ache for you to appear, 

all who remember the days 

we used to lead the procession of praise (Psalm 42:4), 

all who now suffer turmoil within and attack from without (Psalm 42:5). 

Restore their hope again, 

even as they feel 

“all your breakers and your waves 

have gone over me” (Psalm 42:7).

At night, sing your steadfast love over them, 

“a prayer to the God of my life” (Psalm 42:8). 

At daybreak, remind them 

that you are their rock 

and that you have not forgotten them (Psalm 42:9).

Even as they feel the “deadly wound” 

of adversaries taunting 

or the grief of a relationship 

lost to death or conflict, 

remind them that because of Jesus, 

the one who suffered separation from you 

for the sake of our sins, 

they stand in your loving presence forever. 

Because of Jesus, 

we shall all “Hope in God, 

for we shall again praise you, 

our salvation and our God.”

In Jesus’ hope giving name. Amen.

Read Psalm 42.



 

A Prayer about Honoring the Elderly

A Prayer about Honoring the Elderly

The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old.

Proverbs 20:29

Everlasting Father,

In a world that often marginalizes or mocks the elderly, 

transform us into people who honor and value the elderly.

Even as we age, may we see your holy purposes for aging—

some may no longer have the energy to tend to babies all night long, 

but they do wake up in the night, 

and they can pray for those who do.

Some may no longer have the physical agility 

to perform skilled labor, 

but they do have years of experience 

and can teach those who do.

Some may no longer have the responsibilities 

of running a business, 

but they do have the ability and wisdom 

to give good counsel to those who do.

Lord, may we see the opportunities aging affords, 

and may we embrace not only our own aging, 

but the aging of others. 

May we see that you call the elderly 

to continue giving you glory 

by learning and leading every day of their lives. 

In Jesus’ redeeming name. Amen.

Read Proverbs 20:29; Titus 2:2-5; 1 Timothy 5:1 . 


 

A Prayer about Praying God’s Promises Back to Him

A Prayer about Praying God’s Promises Back to Him

Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever. Exodus 32:13

Merciful Lord,

When we have blown it again, 

help us to remember how badly the Israelites had blown it. 

You had brought them out of slavery in Egypt, 

you had provided manna for them in the wilderness, 

you had promised to make them a great nation 

and to bring them to a land flowing with milk and honey. 

Moses left to meet with you, 

and the next thing we know, 

the people are asking Aaron 

to “make us gods who shall go before us” (Exodus 32:1). 

And Aaron, Moses’ brother, 

the one you provided for Moses’ help, 

collects gold and fashion a golden calf. 

Holy Lord, do we really comprehend 

what an affront to your holiness this was? 

Moses did. 

He understood that he and his people deserved your wrath. 

And yet, he prayed your promises back to you. 

He did not collapse in self-contempt 

as some of us may do when we’ve blown it again. 

Instead, he reminded you 

of your power 

and your might 

and your plan. 

(As if you needed to be reminded.) 

On that basis, 

he asked for your mercy. 

On that basis, 

he asked for your continued presence. 

On that basis, he asked you to show him your glory (Exodus 32:18). 

Not only did you respond 

by giving Moses a glimpse of your glory 

that would not destroy him, 

you gave us Jesus, 

the very living presence of your glory. 

Because of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, 

when we have blown it,

we can “with confidence 

draw near to the throne of grace, 

that we may receive mercy 

and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). 

What great good news this is!

Amen. 

Read Exodus 32-34.