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A Prayer about Not Being Forsaken

by | Nov 11, 2022 | Daily Prayer, gratitude, Grief, Suffering, worship, gratitude

A Prayer about Not Being Forsaken

He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:8

Faithful Father,

In times that we feel forsaken, 

whether because of betrayal or abandonment or loss, 

may we remember, 

“It is the Lord who goes before [us],” 

and you will never leave us or forsake us. 

You are a God who made a covenant, 

a promise of love to your people

that you alone upheld. 

Even after Adam and Eve disobeyed you in the garden, 

you promised to send your Son to destroy Satan (Gen. 3:15). 

You promised Abraham to make him a great nation (Gen. 12:2), 

and you continued to love your people, the Israelites, 

even though they continued to rebel against you: 

“For the mountains may depart, 

and the hills may be removed, 

but my steadfast love will not depart from you” (Isaiah 54:10). 

In your most stunning proof of your commitment 

to bring your people back to you, 

you allowed your Son to be forsaken on the cross, 

to die for our sins, 

that we might become your children. 

Because you will never leave nor forsake 

your children in Christ, 

when we feel lonely 

or exiled 

or forgotten, 

we need not “fear or be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8). 

In Jesus’ faith-full name we pray. Amen.

Read Deuteronomy 31:8; Isaiah 54. 

 

A Prayer for Veterans and Current Military Personnel

by | Nov 10, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Suffering

A Prayer for Veterans and Current Military Personnel

Please join me in praying for our veterans and current military personnel.

May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace! Psalm 29:11

Almighty God,

Even as we celebrate and pray

for our veterans today in America, 

we praise you for being the Commander-in-Chief 

of Peace and Love. 

We thank you for those 

who have laid down their lives 

to bring peace, freedom, and protection to our country.

We thank you for their many sacrifices—

leaving families and friends, 

suffering loneliness and injury on our behalf.

We lift up families of veterans and current military personnel—

may they find good community, supportive churches, 

and rest in your protection when their loved ones are serving.

And we pray for all who have been injured in the line of duty, 

whether physically or mentally. 

We ask especially for healing of those with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder—

bring restoration and hope to their lives and their families’ hearts. 

Most of all, we pray that our veterans and current military personnel 

would find their hope and healing in the Prince of Peace—Jesus.

In his mighty name we pray. Amen. 

Read Psalm 29. 

 

A Prayer about Freedom from Contempt

by | Nov 9, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Joy, Suffering

A Prayer about Freedom from Contempt

Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt. Psalm 123:3

Merciful and Loving Lord,

Many of us have suffered 

from daily doses of contempt, 

deployed by the evil one through “arrogant attackers” (Psalm 123:4). 

Contempt spreads like a cancer 

within our bodies and souls, 

wreaking havoc on our hearts, 

deceiving our brains.

Contempt shouts at us, 

telling us we’re not strong enough, 

smart enough, thin enough, 

good enough. 

Contempt makes fun of us 

for crying out to you for mercy. 

And yet, we do, for where else could we go? 

You alone have seen our worst, 

judged it for what it is—

destructive sin and rebellion, 

and sent your Son to die for it, 

that we might be freed from it. 

You, the One Judge who has the right to condemn us, 

paid our debt,

that you might call us your beloved children. 

Because of your mercy and grace, 

may we never join with voices of contempt, 

and may we bring the good news about you

to others 

through love, patience, kindness, and gentleness. 

In Jesus’ freeing name. Amen. 

Read Psalm 123. 

 

A Prayer about Not Rushing Grief

by | Nov 8, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Grief, Suffering

A Prayer about Not Rushing Grief

I am shut in so that I cannot escape; my eye grows dim through sorrow.  Psalm 88:8-9

Healing Father,

I was just thinking about the people in South Florida 

who are still recovering from Hurricane Ian. 

It’s been a little over a month since it devastated much of South Florida, 

and many people in other parts of the nation have moved on, 

forgetting it ever happened. 

That’s the way it so often works with grief. 

Our loved one dies; 

our home is wrecked; 

our relationship ends, 

and we are still wounded, 

limping through our daily lives, 

but everyone else has moved on. 

Thank you, good Father, 

for giving us time to grieve. 

Thank you for not rushing us through our pain. 

Thank you for teaching us to lament, 

to cry out to you honestly 

about the agony of our loss. 

Throughout Scripture, 

you give us words to speak to you, 

unexpected words, 

blunt words:

“You have put me in the depths of the pit, 

in the regions dark and deep” (Ps. 88:6).

“Your wrath lies heavy upon me, 

and you overwhelm me with all your waves” (Ps. 88:7). 

“He has left me stunned, 

faint all the day long” (Lam. 1:13).

Lord, in the depths of grief, 

may we keep turning to you, 

naming our honest complaint, 

and may we keep waiting 

to see you shed the light of your glory 

into our darkened hearts. 

May we trust that the day will come 

when the tears we have sown 

will be “reaped with shouts of joy” (Psalm 126: 5). 

Until that day comes, 

bring us the comfort only you can bring.

In Jesus’ merciful name. Amen.

Read Psalm 88; Lamentations 3; Psalm 126.

 

A Prayer about Affliction

by | Nov 5, 2022 | aging, dying, and death, body, Daily Prayer, Death and Resurrection, Grief, Suffering

A Prayer about Affliction

I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. Psalm 119:75

Faithful Lord,

The truth is, we don’t like to think that you afflict us. 

And then, when we do think you afflict us, 

we don’t always remember that it is 

“in faithfulness” that you do so. 

Today, I can more easily see how and why 

you might allow what feels like affliction in our lives. 

We have had to withhold food

from our beloved dog-who-thinks-she-is-a-person 

since last night at 8 p.m., 

because she is getting her teeth cleaned today. 

She has begged, 

she has nudged, 

she has barked her displeasure 

at not getting her morning treats, 

her morning meal, 

and her second round of morning treats. 

(I know, maybe we’re too extravagant with her?) 

(But not any less so than you are with us!).

To her, this feels like affliction. 

But we know that if we fed her, 

she might aspirate while under the anesthetic. 

Finally, she has settled, 

choosing to take a nap, 

choosing to trust 

that we have a good reason 

for “afflicting” her. 

Today, Lord, we pray that we would do the same—

that we would settle, 

that we would trust you, 

that we would know any affliction we experience 

is faithfully, sovereignly, lovingly 

administered by you. 

In the name of our afflicted Savior we pray. Amen.

Read Psalm 119:67, 71, 75. 

 

A Prayer about Wisdom for Caregivers

by | Nov 3, 2022 | aging, dying, and death, Caregiving, Daily Prayer, Suffering

A Prayer about Wisdom for Caregivers

For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2:6

 

Wise and Gracious Lord,

Thank you for the wisdom you give 

for all of life’s hard stories and tough decisions. 

Today we think of our caregiving friends, 

who face weighty decisions daily 

concerning their loved ones’ care. 

Which medicine to try, 

how to get their loved one to comply with doctor’s orders, 

whether to take the car keys or not, 

how long to continue trying new treatments….

the list goes on and on. 

We pray for them, 

that they would hear you answering their prayers, 

perhaps in the form of helpful and wise counselors 

who have been there before them 

or in the form of gentle and kind social workers 

who understand the situation. 

We pray that you would deploy us 

as answers to their prayers, 

simply by offering respite 

or picking up mail while they’re at the hospital, 

or performing a simple task 

like walking the dog or delivering a meal. 

We pray that you would show them 

your deep compassion and forgiveness, 

especially if they are feeling a sense of failing their loved ones. 

Lord, in their hard caregiving days, 

may they truly know the rest and kindness of Jesus, 

our constant and caring companion.

Amen.

Read Proverbs 2:6; Psalm 91:1, 16; Isaiah 25:6-8; Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.