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A Prayer about Not Wearing Purple When We’re Old

A Prayer about Not Wearing Purple When We’re Old

I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7

Holy God,

With all due respect to the delightful poet Jenny Joseph, 

who wrote the humorous poem, “Warning” 

about how she would become a rebel when she was old 

and “wear purple with a red hat that doesn’t go,” 

help us to resist the temptation 

that often faces us as we age. 

We are told by our culture 

that we should relax and take it easy. 

While there’s nothing wrong with 

relaxing or enjoying life or even slowing down a bit, 

what we must resist is, to quote 87-year-old J.I. Packer, 

“practicing self-indulgence up to the limit….

[filling [our lives] with novelties and hobbies, 

anything and everything that will hold [our] interest.”*

Indeed, our spiritual gifts and calling to minister the gospel 

do not “wither with age.” 

You have called us to live each day to the full, 

going where you call us to go 

(even if it’s to a hospital bed to pray), 

doing what you give us to do. 

Until the end, we are called to present our aging bodies 

as “a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to you….” 

Until the end, we must “not be conformed to this world, 

but be transformed by the renewing of our minds…” (Romans 12:1-2). 

Help us, Lord, to fight the good fight and to finish the race well.

In Jesus’ ancient name. Amen. 

Read Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; 2 Timothy 4:6-8. 

*Quote is from J. I. Packer’s book Finishing Our Course with Joy: Guidance from God for Engaging with Our Aging



A Prayer about Encouraging the Faint-Hearted

A Prayer about Encouraging the Faint-Hearted

Encourage the fainthearted, and help the weak… 

1 Thessalonians 5:14

Heavenly Father,

At times, our burdens become so great 

that we struggle 

to pray, 

to believe, 

to hope. 

At such times, 

we thank you for the church, 

the community of believers 

called to bear our burdens with us (Galatians 6:2). 

I remember when my kids were small 

and we had to walk a long way, 

my husband would sometimes lift them on his shoulders to give their weary legs a rest. 

From high above, 

they gained new perspective 

and a much-needed rest. 

In the same way, 

as we “encourage the fainthearted and help the weak,” may we give them 

the rest they desperately need. 

May we believe for them 

when they are struggling with doubt. 

May we hope for them 

when they are weary of waiting for redemption. 

May we endure hardship with them 

as they suffer. 

Lord, if we are the ones 

needing a rest, 

may we reach out for it 

and receive it. 

Lord, if we are the ones called and strengthened 

to give that rest, 

lead us to your weary ones who need it.

In Jesus’ burden-bearing name. Amen.

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:14; 1 Corinthians 13:7; Galatians 6:2. 



A Prayer about Walking in the Light of the Lord’s Glory

A Prayer about Walking in the Light of the Lord’s Glory

Happy are the people who know the joyful shout;

Lord, they walk in the light from your face. Psalm 89:15

Everpresent Father, Jesus Immanuel, Indwelling Spirit,

We confess, 

we often walk through our days 

forgetting your presence. 

Re-orient us, we pray, 

so that we may be aware of “the light from your face” 

shining on us in every step we take, 

in every place we go, 

each day and every day, 

all the days of our lives.

Help us to not only “set our minds on the things above” (Colossians 3:2), 

but to see that you are “always before [us]” (Psalm 16:8), 

that we are in Christ, and Christ is in us, 

by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

When we become so fully aware of your inescapable presence, 

we will have peace in the midst of literal and metaphorical storms,

hope in the midst of disasters and diagnoses,

love in the midst of broken relationships,

joy in the midst of painful losses.

Walking in the light of your glory, 

we will indeed shout joyfully; 

we will indeed “spread the fragrance” 

of your sweet aroma everywhere we go (2 Corinthians 2:14).

In the name of our Lord who came near to us we pray.

Amen.

Read Psalm 89; Colossians 3:2; Psalm 16:8; 2 Corinthians 2:14. 



A Prayer about Surrendering Control as We Age

A Prayer about Surrendering Control as We Age

And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.’ Luke 1:38

Eternal Lord,

Mary was a young woman when she spoke these words. 

What wisdom and faith she had, 

even though she was “troubled” at the news 

that she would give birth to your Son. 

May we learn from her at an early age 

to surrender control of our lives to you 

so that when we move into our later years 

we are more accepting of the loss of control 

we experience.

Many of us pride ourselves on our independence, 

on not needing anyone or anything. 

And then we notice that we can’t see as well at night 

and now we can’t drive ourselves to Wednesday night church. 

Some of us have been told by our adult children, 

the very children whose diapers we changed, 

that it’s not safe for us to live in our own houses anymore. 

Lord, it is hard! 

We need your wisdom; 

we need your mercy; 

we need your grace. 

In our own strength, 

we can’t face the losses of independence 

aging requires of us. 

Only by your Spirit, 

only in the power of our Savior’s blood, 

shed for us in his weakness on the cross, 

can we accept these limitations and losses. 

Help us dear Lord, 

and shape us more and more 

into the image of your Son 

as we get closer to meeting you in glory. 

In Jesus’ surrendering name. Amen.

Read Luke 1:26-38; 2 Corinthians 12:9-11. 



A Prayer about Our To-Not-Do List for Today

A Prayer about Our To-Not-Do List for Today

You shall not murder. Exodus 20:13

Lord God,

Thank you for placing these verses 

in Exodus in front of me 

and the accompanying Heidelberg catechism question and answer 105: 

What does God require in the sixth commandment?

“I am not 

to belittle, 

hate, 

insult, 

or kill my neighbor, 

not by 

my thoughts, 

my words, 

my look, 

my gesture, 

and certainly not 

by actual deeds. 

I am not 

to be party to this 

in others. 

I am to put away 

all desires for revenge.”

It’s sobering to read these words, Lord, 

to be faced with how many ways 

we murder our neighbor 

every single day all throughout the day.

We cry out, “Wretched people that we are! 

Who will deliver us from this body of death?”

“Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord….

There is therefore now no condemnation 

for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 7:24, 8:1).

Draw us to quick repentance, Lord, 

when we murder our neighbor. 

By your transforming Spirit, 

change us into people 

who “act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly” 

with you and with others (Micah 6:2). 

Help us to “love one another” 

and to “outdo one another in showing honor” (Romans 12:10). 

In your forgiving name. Amen.

Read Leviticus 19:1; Exodus 20:1-17; Matthew 5:21-22.



A Prayer about the Lord’s Right Now Delight in Us

A Prayer about the Lord’s Right Now Delight in Us

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

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.