A Prayer about Preparing for Glory

by | Jan 22, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Preparing for Glory

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 1 Peter 5:10

Eternal and Everlasting God,

You knew all along how people might respond 

when I tell them I’ve written a book 

about facing our mortality, 

about preparing for glory.* 

Some wonder if I’m morbid, 

and others wonder if I’m sick. 

But some get it. 

Some know that death is our certain fate; 

some walk with a diagnosis 

that will lead to death sooner rather than later; 

some walk with a loved one with such a diagnosis. 

Help us, Lord, we pray, 

to know the hope of glory 

you have given to all who die in Christ. 

Help us to let go of the things of this earth 

to which we cling, 

that we might meditate on eternal glory:

Eternal glory is where we are headed. 

It is heaven. 

It is the new heavens and the new earth. 

It is looking fully on the face of Christ. 

It is hearing the welcome of our Father 

and enjoying the embrace of his Son. 

It is truly believing and clearly seeing 

God’s love for us. 

It is living fully into our creational calling 

to bear God’s image 

and to rule as servants in Christ’s kingdom. 

And it is doing so forever. 

Oh dear Father, thank you for preparing us 

for such glory.

In Jesus’ glorious name. Amen. 

Read 1 Peter 5:6-11; 2 Corinthians 4:17-18; Romans 8:18-25.

*Preparing for Glory: Biblical Answers to 40 Questions on Living and Dying in Hope of Heaven is available for from all of your favorite booksellers. (Affiliate link).



A Prayer about Stilling Our Souls

by | Jan 22, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Stilling Our Souls

Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10

Friends, as you will probably soon recognize, this prayer is based on the hymn, “Be Still My Soul.”

Precious Jesus, Never-Changing God, Holy Spirit our Constant Companion,

Thank you for your constant kindness, 

your loyal friendship, 

your dependable aid…

to be able to call you our best friend, 

our “heavenly friend…” 

Can we be so bold?

Yes, we can! 

Because you have first called us “friend” (John 15:12-15). 

You know that we are busy ones, 

more constant in commotion than compassion. 

You know we find it hard to sit still, 

to soak our souls 

in the sunlight 

of your presence. 

You know how quickly we grab our phones, 

assuring ourselves 

we only want to check the weather 

or to read the daily prayer, 

then ten minutes later find ourselves 

immersed in the words, 

the images, 

the reels that leave us reeling. 

Bring us back: 

clasp our hands, 

clamp our ears, 

close our eyes, 

that our souls may be stilled, 

that we may stop and see—

you, our friend. 

Our heavenly friend, 

the One who laid down your life 

for your friends. 

The One who “bore the cross, the grief, the pain,” 

that we might call you friend; 

that you might bring us 

to our “joyful end.”

So very gratefully we pray.

Amen.

Read Psalm 46.

Listen to “Be Still My Soul” here. (Note, this playlist has many versions of the great hymn by Katarina von Schlegel, so you can choose your favorite.)



A Prayer about Caring for the Mentally Ill

by | Jan 20, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Caring for the Mentally Ill

Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.

Ps. 46:10

Friends, as you will probably soon recognize, this prayer is based on the hymn, “Be Still My Soul.”

Precious Jesus, Never-Changing God, Holy Spirit our Constant Companion,

Thank you for your constant kindness, 

your loyal friendship, 

your dependable aid…

to be able to call you our best friend, 

our “heavenly friend…” 

Can we be so bold?

Yes, we can! 

Because you have first called us “friend” (John 15:12-15). 

You know that we are busy ones, 

more constant in commotion than compassion. 

You know we find it hard to sit still, 

to soak our souls 

in the sunlight 

of your presence. 

You know how quickly we grab our phones, 

assuring ourselves 

we only want to check the weather 

or to read the daily prayer, 

then ten minutes later find ourselves 

immersed in the words, 

the images, 

the reels that leave us reeling. 

Bring us back: 

clasp our hands, 

clamp our ears, 

close our eyes, 

that our souls may be stilled, 

that we may stop and see—

you, our friend. 

Our heavenly friend, 

the One who laid down your life 

for your friends. 

The One who “bore the cross, the grief, the pain,” 

that we might call you friend; 

that you might bring us 

to our “joyful end.”

So very gratefully we pray.

Amen.

Read Psalm 46.

Listen to “Be Still My Soul” here. (Note, this playlist has many versions of the great hymn by Katarina von Schlegel, so you can choose your favorite.)



A Prayer about God’s Plans for Us

by | Jan 18, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about God’s Plans for Us

‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’ Jeremiah 29:11. 

Sovereign Lord,

It’s not even the end of January, 

and some of the plans and goals we made for this year 

have already ended in what looks like “disaster” to us: 

instead of being on track to run a 5k, 

we had the flu and stayed in bed for a week, 

instead of being more patient with our kids, 

our teenager wrecked the car and we lost our temper, 

instead of planning our anniversary trip, 

our spouse was diagnosed with cancer…

All good plans…disrupted.

Thank you for the truth of this verse—

you were speaking to the Israelites 

who were exiled in Babylon 

because of their disobedience and sin. 

Yes, their dreams had been crushed, 

their plans changed, 

but you promised them redemption and restoration 

not after, but during 

their time of exile. 

Help us draw near to you 

and trust in you in disrupted plans, 

that we might see the good stories 

you are writing in our lives 

for your glory.

In Jesus’ redeeming name. Amen. 

Read Jeremiah 29:1-11. 



A Prayer about the Foolishness of Sin

by | Jan 17, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Foolishness of Sin

The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’

They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; 

there is none who does good. Psalm 14:1

Merciful and Forgiving Lord,

Thank you for this reminder 

that without Jesus, our Savior, 

we are all fools. 

Our sin nature, 

the nature with which we were born 

persists in telling us, 

“There’s no God. 

You are your own god. 

Do what feels right to you, 

because you rule!” 

Our sin nature whispers to us, 

“You’re a good person. 

You’re not nearly so bad 

as that guy down the street 

who always yells at his wife and kids.” 

The apostle Paul says, 

“All have sinned and fall short 

of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). 

David says, 

“There is none who does good, 

not even one” (Psalm 14:3). 

And yet, there is one who did do good, 

one who never sinned. 

And he came for us, 

to be our perfect sacrifice. 

He sent his Spirit to arouse us 

from our zombie status, 

to awaken us to the true wisdom of Jesus. 

Thank you, Lord, 

for such a great salvation. 

Thank you for making us “good” 

in Christ’s goodness, our only hope. 

Read Psalm 14. 



A Prayer about Our Struggle to Believe

by | Jan 15, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Our Struggle to Believe

“Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Genesis 18:13

All-Powerful God,

Every time I read this awkward scene for Sarah in Genesis 18, 

I cringe, 

mostly because I recognize myself 

in her struggle to believe.

The Lord has promised Abraham and Sarah 

descendants as numerous as the stars, 

and yet, “The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah” (Gen. 18:11), 

and Abraham is a ripe 99-years-old. 

So we can hardly blame Sarah for laughing 

when she overhears one of the visitors, 

“the Lord,” 

say, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, 

and Sarah your wife shall have a son” (Gen. 18:10). 

Things get awkward when the Lord asks Abraham, 

“Why did Sarah laugh and say, 

‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’

Is anything too hard for the Lord?” 

Sarah denies laughing, and the Lord responds, 

“No, but you did laugh” (Gen. 18:14-15). 

Oh Lord, you know the places of our lives 

where we struggle to believe that nothing is too hard for you—

For new companionship to ease our loneliness 

or for healing in broken relationships…

For healing of a chronic illness 

or for belief that a terminal illness will lead to ultimate healing…

For a job that provides for our family 

or a job that allows us to escape an abusive boss….

[Name some places you struggle to believe…]

Help us to trust in you to care for us 

in every detail of our lives 

because you sent your Son in a virgin’s womb, 

because you raised your Son from the dead, 

that those who trust in him might live forever in your love. 

In Jesus’ all-powerful name we pray. Amen.