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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 about Being a Saint

by | Oct 31, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, gratitude, Reformation Day, worship, gratitude

A Prayer about Being a Saint

Dear Friends,

This began as a personal prayer, but I invite you to insert your own gratitude for God making you a saint.

 

All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you. Psalm 145:10

 

Author God,

You and I both know that in the world’s sense of the word, 

I am no saint. 

And yet, on this All Saints’ Day, 

as I celebrate 60 years of being in the world, 

I stand in awe of “your abundant goodness,” 

in choosing me to be one of your saints in Christ (Romans 1:7). 

Not only did you place me in a Christian school 

where I would hear the good news of the gospel and begin studying the Bible, 

[name some of the specific ways God has shown you the good news of the gospel]

but you surrounded me with “a great cloud of witnesses,” 

wonderful saints, ordinary people redeemed in Christ, 

who were living stories that led me to see my need and desire for a Savior. 

[Name some of the saints who have shown you redemption in Christ.]

Not only did you draw me to Christ, 

literally raise me from spiritual death, 

but you have continued to write your story of “steadfast love,” 

showing me day after day 

that your “mercy is over all that you have made” (Psalm 145:9). 

[Name some of the ways he has written his story of “steadfast love” and “mercy” into your life.]

How grateful I am/we are 

that you have called us to be your “saints in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:1). 

In Jesus’ holy name. Amen.

Read Psalm 145. 

 

A Prayer about Seeing God’s Beauty in Creation

by | Oct 30, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Death and Resurrection, gratitude, worship, gratitude

A Prayer about Seeing God’s Beauty in Creation

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Psalm 19:1

Creator of Beauty,

On this Fall Monday, we take time to look around us,

 to listen to creation declaring your glory:

Cerulean sky writes messages of your delight in us (Psalm 19:1):

[Name a message of God’s delight that you hear in creation.]

Brilliant sun bounds across the sky, 

shouting of your Son’s salvation (Psalm 19:4-5):

[Name a way the sun reminds you of the Son’s love and forgiveness.]

Early morning dew glints on the soccer fields, 

hinting at the river of life to flow 

in your new heavens and new earth (Revelation 22:1):

[Name ways dew or rain or rivers or oceans remind you 

of the “river of the water of life” that fills your thirst.]

Acorns gently fall to the earth, 

revealing your commitment 

to transform us into “oaks of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:3):

[Name your gratitude at the Spirit’s transforming work in your life.]

Lord, indeed, we could go on and on, 

as your wondrous creation does.

Sharpen our senses today to the beauty of your earth 

and how it declares your glory throughout the day. 

Give us glad, grateful hearts as we take it all in.

In Jesus’ lovely name. Amen.

Read Psalm 19.

 

A Prayer about the Lord’s Generosity

by | Oct 21, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, gratitude, kingdom living, worship, gratitude

A Prayer about the Lord’s Generosity

Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. Proverbs 3:9-10

Generous Father,

How kind and generous you have been with us! 

You have [blessed us in the city, 

blessed us in the field,

 blessed the fruit of our womb 

and the fruit of our ground 

and the fruit of our cattle…

You have blessed our basket

 and our kneading bowl. 

You have blessed us 

when we came in 

and when we went out.] (See Deuteronomy 28:2-6). 

Protect us, Lord, from the temptation to believe 

that our money belongs to us. 

Help us to remember always 

that you are the giver of all good gifts. 

Help us to return to you 

a healthy portion of what you have first given us. 

In so doing, 

we may find our barns filled with plenty 

and our vats bursting with wine, 

or we may not. 

But we will most definitely know 

the profound joy of being freed 

from the “love of money,” 

which can lead us 

to greediness and self-destruction. (See 1 Timothy 6:10). 

Even more, may we treasure most 

the inheritance of grace we have in your Son, 

our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

In his sacrificial name we pray. Amen. 

Read Proverbs 3:9-10; Deuteronomy 28:1-14; 1 Timothy 6:10. 

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A Prayer about Turning to God in Shame

by | Oct 19, 2022 | Daily Prayer, gratitude, kingdom living, worship, gratitude

A Prayer about Turning to God in Shame

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. Psalm 25:1-2

Merciful Lord,

When we feel shame, 

whether over our own sins 

or over terrible mistakes we’ve made, 

some of us want to run and hide; 

others want to blame and accuse. 

Whatever our instinct, 

may we, with David, 

lift up our souls to you. 

May we do it even now, 

lifting our hands, 

placing in them our hearts, souls, minds, and bodies, 

raising them toward you, 

surrendering them to you. 

For we have every reason to trust in you 

to care well for our souls. 

Sometimes we trust in others 

for that forgiveness or approval or security or significance, 

but you alone are safe for such trust. 

When enemies shout and jeer at us, 

whether enemies with faces we can see and voices we can hear 

or the enemy, 

the one who loves to tell us we’re “bad,” 

“not enough,” 

“unforgiven,” 

“shameful,” 

make us deaf to their cries. 

Turn our ears instead toward you, 

that we might hear you 

singing your love for us: 

“You shall no more be termed Forsaken…

but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her” (Isaiah 62:4). 

As we hear your delight, rest us in your embrace.

In Jesus’ shame-enduring name we ask. Amen. 

Read Psalm 25; Isaiah 62:2-5.

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A Prayer about Shouting for Joy instead of Frustration

by | Oct 9, 2022 | Daily Prayer, gratitude, worship, gratitude

A Prayer about Shouting for Joy instead of Frustration

Shout for joy to God, all the earth, sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise! Psalm 66:1-2

Glorious God,

How easily we shout for joy to you 

when we wake up after a great night’s sleep 

and look out at the sun rising 

over calm waters and sugar-white sand. 

And yet, you know we more easily shout out of frustration or anger 

when we awaken after a terrible night’s sleep 

and face all sorts of Monday madness. 

In some seasons, when we feel that you are “testing and trying us” (Psalm 66:10), 

or when we feel that you have brought us or our loved ones “into the net,” 

“laid a crushing burden on our backs,” (Psalm 66:11),

 or taken us through “fire and water,” 

we more easily shout, “Why is this happening to me?!” 

Move in us, by your Spirit, we pray: 

jog our memories, 

that we might recall the “awesome deeds “ 

you have done (Ps. 66:2)—

the times you “brought us out into a place of abundance” (Ps. 66:12), 

the way you “turned the sea into dry land” (Ps. 66:6). 

Where we have amnesia about your mercy and kindness, 

remind us of our Savior, 

who endured our crushing burden of sin, 

who acquainted himself with our grief, 

that we might be healed (Is. 53: 3,5). 

In Christ, we can surely find our voices 

to “Shout for joy” to you.

In the name of our Suffering Savior. 

Amen.

Read Psalm 66.