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A Prayer about Great Trouble and Shame

by | Oct 1, 2022 | aging, dying, and death, Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Suffering

A Prayer about Great Trouble and Shame

“The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.” Nehemiah 1:3

 For the next few days, we’ll be praying one of Nehemiah’s prayers. If you’d like to hear the sermon that inspired these prayers (preached by our pastor at Pinewoods, Joel Treick), click here. It will be the first one in a series called Gospel Rebuild. 

Redeeming Lord,

As Nehemiah prayed for hurting people 

he had never met in a place he had never visited, 

we lift up hurting friends, neighbors, strangers, 

and even enemies.

Many are in “great trouble” in this world,

 as in the last couple of years, 

it feels like we have been pounded again and again 

by waves that knocked us down every time we almost stood up. 

Some suffer the loss of jobs or health or even relationships to Covid, 

others suffer the loss of homes and livelihoods 

to devastating natural disasters 

like hurricanes and earthquakes and wildfires. 

Still others suffer the ache of a lifelong dream 

seemingly stolen by circumstance. 

If “trouble” weren’t enough, 

there’s also the shame that plagues many.

Some suffer the shame 

of having sinned against people they loved; 

they wonder if they can ever repair 

the relationships they’ve severed. 

Some suffer the shame 

of having rebelled against you, 

thinking they knew better, 

and now they wonder if you’ll even have them back. 

Others suffer the shame of insecurity, 

thinking they’ll never win 

the spouse 

or promotion 

or the battle with infertility.

Lord, in the midst of “great trouble and shame,” 

we cry out. 

We remember your redemption and rescue 

throughout biblical history,

your redemption of the Israelites at the Red Sea, 

your return of the exiles to Jerusalem, 

your rebuilding of the walls there. 

But most of all, we remember 

your redemption on the cross, 

which is the very reason we can cry out 

with the “assurance of things hoped for, 

the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). 

Restore, renew, rebuild, redeem. 

For that is your way. 

And even as we pray for this restoration 

in our world today, 

we long for the day 

when we will no longer cry out 

about trouble and shame, 

because there will be no more crying or mourning or shame 

when you return. 

In your hope-full name. Amen.

Read Nehemiah 1:1-11.

A Prayer about Not Growing Weary and Fainthearted

by | Sep 28, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, kingdom living, Suffering

A Prayer about Not Growing Weary and Fainthearted

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. Hebrews 12:3

Good Father, 

yesterday we prayed through our reason and hope 

for endurance from Hebrews 12:1 and 2.

Now we come to your gentle encouragement 

for weary followers in verse 3. 

We know that the Hebrew Christians 

to whom this letter was written 

were growing weary in their faith, 

having endured many trials, 

and the author is urging them to persevere. 

In the anti-Christian society in which we live, 

we need this crucial reminder. 

We have every reason 

to persevere in our faith — 

unlike Abraham and Moses and Joshua and Rahab 

and all the others mentioned in Hebrews 11, 

we know the true story of your Son 

who became flesh, and endured “such hostility” —

the mocking, beating, and humiliating and suffocating 

death on the cross, for us. 

We know he finished his race, 

and now, sitting next to you in heaven,

he continues to strengthen us to finish ours. 

We know that the hostility and hardships 

you allow in our lives you use to shape us 

more and more into the image of your Son, our Savior. 

Because of your kindness and grace, 

help us to endure whatever trials 

we may face today 

through the hope of our risen Savior. 

In Jesus’ enduring name. Amen.

Read Hebrews 12: 1-17.

A Prayer about Hope When All Seems Lost

by | Sep 16, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Grief, Suffering

A Prayer about Hope When All Seems Lost

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. Lamentations 3:22

Faithful Lord,

Sometimes we feel like Jeremiah,

seeing so much devastation and sin and sorrow all around.

Thank you for putting these hopeful verses 

right in the middle of the lament over Jerusalem’s fall.

When we feel 

that “peace has been stripped away,” (Lamentations 3:17, NLT), 

may we hear you singing over us,

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.”

When we feel 

that “everything we had hoped for from the Lord has been lost” (Lamentations 3:19),

may we hear you singing over us,

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.”

When we feel 

that we will “never forget this awful time” (Lamentations 3:20, NLT), 

May we hear you singing over us,

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.”

In the midst of our grief, 

we are grateful 

that you gave us such honest words in Scripture 

to cry out to you, 

we are grateful for your response

 to our lament,

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; 

[my] mercies never come to an end.” 

In Jesus’ faith-full name.

Amen

Read Lamentations 3.

A Prayer about Being a Comfort to Ministry Leaders

by | Sep 13, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Leadership, Suffering

A Prayer about Being a Comfort to Ministry Leaders

This is the fourth of four days praying through Colossians. Read yesterday’s here: 

If you’d like to receive these prayers in your inbox by 6 a.m. central time, please sign up: 

Remember my chains. Colossians 3:18

Jesus, Great Shepherd of the Sheep,

As we read the apostle Paul’s closing instructions to the Colossians, 

we can’t miss his reminder, 

which he mentions twice, 

that he is in chains. 

He has told the Colossians 

the good news of the gospel: 

they have died with Christ, 

been raised with Christ, 

are rooted in Christ, 

and are hidden in Christ. 

Now they and we can live in peace, 

in tenderness, 

in mercy. 

Now he encourages them and us 

to pray. 

We must pray for all who are ministers of the gospel:

preachers, teachers, youth workers, 

children’s and women’s ministry directors. 

We pray that we would not in any way imprison them, 

that we would speak to them 

and about them 

as we are directed to speak to everyone—

wisely, graciously, kindly (Col. 4:5-6). 

May we be faithful brothers and sisters, 

people like Tychicus, Onesimus, and Aristarchus, 

comforting our ministry leaders 

in trying and bewildering times (Col. 4:7-11), 

working with our ministry leaders 

for the glory of the Kingdom of God (Col. 4:7-12). 

May we “pray earnestly” like Epaphras 

for the good of our church, 

asking God to help the whole church 

follow the will of God (Col. 4:12-13). 

And may we always remember their chains, 

remember that our ministry leaders 

suffer for the sake of the glory of God. 

In your shepherding name. Amen.

Read Colossians 4.

A Prayer about the God Who Counts Our Tears

by | Sep 7, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Grief, Suffering

A Prayer about the God Who Counts Our Tears

You have kept count of my tossing; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? Psalm 56:8

Compassionate Father,

In these days of grief, 

when so many are mourning, 

whether it is loved ones lost to death, 

or homes destroyed by natural disaster, 

or the ongoing oppression of people based on their ethnicity,

We thank you for caring about our tears. 

Not only do you count and collect them, 

one day you will wipe them gently away 

even as you remove the reasons for our mourning: 

“death shall be no more, 

neither shall there be mourning, 

nor crying, nor pain anymore, 

for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). 

Until that day comes, 

may we bring all of our tears to you, 

and may we share your comfort with others.

In Jesus’ tear-shedding name. Amen. 

Read Psalm 56; Revelation 21:1-5.

A Prayer about How God Supplies Every Need

by | Sep 1, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, gratitude, Spiritual Growth, Suffering

A Prayer about How God Supplies Every Need

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Merciful God,

Thank you for your extravagant generosity to us. 

As we bring what we consider to be our needs 

before you today, 

may we trust that you will supply every need, 

not just one or two. 

We admit, sometimes we don’t understand 

why you don’t supply things we think we need—

like healing of our child’s illness 

or a long-desired spouse or child 

or a job that seemed just right. 

In those cases, 

turn our eyes upon your riches in glory—

the undeserved and over-the-top 

provision of glory in Christ Jesus. 

In him, we truly have everything we really need—

forgiveness of our sins past, present, and future, 

peace with you eternally, 

a meaningful kingdom life 

that has already begun 

and will continue forever. 

Help us to remember that

though you have already supplied those needs, 

you continue to supply daily, here-and-now needs, 

and you continue to invite us to bring our daily needs to you, 

because you are our generous Father. 

As we name those needs now, 

we pray “Thy will be done.” 

In Jesus’ glorious name. Amen. 

Read Philippians 4.