A Prayer about Preparing for Glory

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 1 Peter 5:10

Eternal and Everlasting God,

You knew all along how people might respond 

when I tell them I’ve written a book 

about facing our mortality, 

about preparing for glory.* 

Some wonder if I’m morbid, 

and others wonder if I’m sick. 

But some get it. 

Some know that death is our certain fate; 

some walk with a diagnosis 

that will lead to death sooner rather than later; 

some walk with a loved one with such a diagnosis. 

Help us, Lord, we pray, 

to know the hope of glory 

you have given to all who die in Christ. 

Help us to let go of the things of this earth 

to which we cling, 

that we might meditate on eternal glory:

Eternal glory is where we are headed. 

It is heaven. 

It is the new heavens and the new earth. 

It is looking fully on the face of Christ. 

It is hearing the welcome of our Father 

and enjoying the embrace of his Son. 

It is truly believing and clearly seeing 

God’s love for us. 

It is living fully into our creational calling 

to bear God’s image 

and to rule as servants in Christ’s kingdom. 

And it is doing so forever. 

Oh dear Father, thank you for preparing us 

for such glory.

In Jesus’ glorious name. Amen. 

Read 1 Peter 5:6-11; 2 Corinthians 4:17-18; Romans 8:18-25.