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A Prayer about Telling Future Generations about Jesus

by | Jul 29, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Telling Future Generations about Jesus

Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. Psalm 22:30

Gracious Father,

Whether we have grandchildren or not, 

we admit Lord, 

we can collapse into worry 

about future generations. 

With all of the uncertainty 

about the economy, global health, politics, religious persecution, 

what will life be like for them? 

Faithful Lord, please recenter us 

that we may let go of our worry 

and pray about the matters that matter the most:

Show us how best to proclaim 

your righteousness, 

your goodness, 

and your grace 

to the future generations.

Show us how to humble ourselves 

that we might show future generations 

your love and delight in them.

Give us the words to tell the stories of our lives 

that reveal 

your kindness 

and wisdom 

and redemption.

Help us to live out 

our complete and utter dependence on you 

in a way that attracts future generations 

to a life of trust in you.

As we live and pray and speak the good news of the gospel, 

may future generations be drawn 

to seek your face, 

to trust in your salvation.

In Jesus’ child-loving name. Amen. 

Read Psalm 22:25-31; Psalm 78:1-8.



A Prayer about Forgiving Others

by | Jul 28, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Forgiving Others

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

Forgiving Lord,

Yesterday we prayed about believing in the forgiveness of sins, 

about really acknowledging the inexcusability of our own sin. 

Today, we pray about the complexity of forgiving others their sins. 

As C. S. Lewis pointed out, “Forgiving doesn’t mean excusing.”* 

So many times, we say, “But I can’t forgive that — 

they cheated me. 

They bullied me.

They abused me.” 

Exactly. 

They did something we are called to forgive. 

It is inexcusable. 

We don’t need to make excuses for what they did.**

We don’t need to say it was okay. 

We must forgive it. 

If our friend broke her promise, 

if our husband broke our hearts, 

if our boss broke our trust, 

we must forgive it. 

What does it mean to forgive? 

It is to look on their sin 

and name it for what it is, 

to pray to God 

that he will remove our resentment 

and our wish to make them pay. 

It is not necessarily to trust fully 

or to reconcile immediately 

or to restore relationship 

without the work of repentance and restoration. 

Father, you know we are utterly incapable 

of true forgiveness 

without the love and sacrifice of Christ 

working in and through us 

by your grace. 

Help us we pray 

to forgive those who sin against us. 

In the name of our forgiving Savior.

Amen

Read Matthew 6:12; 2 Corinthians 5:18; Colossians 3:13; Ephesians 4:32.

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

**As Lewis points out, we are also often better at making excuses for our own sin than we are for others. 



A Prayer about Forgiveness

by | Jul 27, 2023 | 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.”(135-136).

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.



A Prayer about Loving Difficult People

by | Jul 26, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Loving Difficult People

You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…’ Matthew 5:43-44

Heavenly Father,

Because you have first loved us, 

we plead with you to give us the love 

that doesn’t come naturally 

for those who have hurt us 

or made life difficult for us.

The world tells us to stand up for our rights, 

to make sure no one takes advantage of us; 

you tell us to move toward our enemies in love, 

and to pray for those who persecute us. 

By your Spirit, and in your Word, 

you’ve given us ideas 

for how to pray and how to love:

We pray for the difficult people in our lives (and for ourselves)…

To “know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge…” (Ephesians 3:19);

To know your perfect love, for “perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:19);

To believe that you are “a God merciful and gracious, 

slow to anger, 

and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6);

To “turn away from evil and do good” (Psalm 34:14);

To “seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14).

Father, make us persistent in these prayers, 

and make us consistent in living out the hope of reconciliation 

we have in Jesus Christ.

In Jesus’ enemy-loving name. Amen.

Read Matthew 5:43-48; Psalm 34:14; Ephesians 3:19; 1 John 4:19.



A Prayer about the Hope of Resurrection

by | Jul 25, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Hope of Resurrection

But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

1 Corinthians 15:20. 

Resurrected Lord,

In this world, we will have tribulation, 

and it’s not always easy to be of “good cheer” (John 16:33).

But our hearts can take courage 

as we remember the resurrection, 

the very present hope 

that not only have you been raised from the dead, 

but you are even now 

resurrecting bodies and hearts.

Yes, our believing loved ones who have died before us 

are now with you in heaven praying with us.  

Yes, every moment of every day, 

you are at work in your kingdom here on earth 

making all things new (Revelation 21:5). 

You are making our hearts new (2 Corinthians 5:17). 

You are making your heavens and earth new (Revelation 21:1-5). 

One day, all of your people will gather together 

in the fully restored new heavens and new earth. 

In that day, all of our tears will be wiped away, 

and there will be no more cause for mourning. 

In that day, we will join in belting out 

songs of rejoicing, songs of redemption.

Until that day comes, 

bring us the comfort and hope only you can give.

Amen. 

Read Revelation 21:1-5; John 16:33; 1 Corinthians 15:54-58.



A Prayer about Good Desires and Longings

by | Jul 24, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

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.