Tag: faith

Prayer for My Son

Scripture

Father God, this second child (now grown up) was an answer to a specific prayer for a son, for his father to know the joy of having a son, and for a mother’s hope similar to Hannah’s – to give this son to God for “him to dwell in the presence of the Lord forever” – like Samuel (I Samuel 1:20-22). God’s answer for me came in less than 4 hours of labor under a January full moon, and a subsequent road to four decades of life, saturated with complexity, hurdles and doubt; but also, miracles, faith, and abounding grace!

Lord, as the truths of Colossians and Romans 9 took root in his life, I watched You take this beloved rebel and call him to be a “son of the living God” (Romans 9:26). What a mercy! What a “potter-and-clay” living example of Your faithfulness as well as a means for meeting my need for times of testing to deepen my wavering “mother-faith.”

Father, thank you that my son has a love for theology and the reformed confessions of the Christian faith. At the same time, I pray that the systematic study of Your nature, relationship with the world, and tenants of faith would never replace the profound pleasure of his knowing You personally through Your everyday miracles in his life and Your eternal interests in molding him into the likeness of Your Son Jesus.

Lord, just like the expression of restoration that comes from blooming flowers lovingly cultivated in a backyard, enable this son to clearly herald to others that death has been overcome by Christ and that we were designed for beauty and immortality. In his calling to preach Your Word, may his spiritual plantings be received in the soil of many receptive hearts. May Truth be articulated in such a way as to awaken the thirst of souls for our Great God and for the salvation that only He can supply.

Thank you God for gifting this son with a refreshing “let’s all go” approach to life and friendship with others. Enable him to continue to be wisely inclusive, continually hospitable, and diligently proactive in building relationships for family-strengthening and church-growing. Multiply his ministries and cover him with Your ongoing sanctifying work, widening wisdom, and compassionate care.

Thank you Lord for all the FaceTimes and personal visits that my son and his family blessed us with during Covid days and beyond! Bless him richly for purposefully reaching out and showing up often when convenience and time constraints and responsibilities make it a true challenge.

May Hebrews 12:2 be the trajectory of my son’s life. May he look unwaveringly to the Lord, the Founder and Perfecter of his faith. May this young pastor be rooted firmly in You Lord, and be described as an “oak of righteousness” because of his well-watered faith. May he be the strong and compassionate husband, father, son and friend You intend him to be. May You give him increasing patience to lead and love well. May You give him humility before You and uncommon grace expressed continually toward others. May you enable him to fulfill the pastoral calling You have placed in his life for Your glory and honor!

Amen.

Prayer for My First of Three

Scripture

The most significant and wondrous adventure of my life was welcoming my first child into the world – a girl. This daughter I pray for calls the mountains her birthplace and I call it the time when God taught me the kindness of strangers, the care of a Mennonite doctor, and the healthy respect for snowy roads, wood stoves, and only three television channels (via antenna).

I am thankful that You, Lord, gifted her to love reading and writing and You equipped her for the unique profession of marketing. Continue to use her persuasive skills to promote ideas and items that are healthy and edifying, for the common good of all who are blessed to benefit. Continue to speak rest and restoration to her through Your gifts of the ocean waves, the summer sun, and the cooling pool. Continue to develop her awareness of the intricacies of Your Creation – the nutrition of untainted grain, the naturalness of colors You placed in nature, and the substances You designed to encourage healthy living. Use her convincing voice to help others in gaining that awareness of all that is good.

Lord, I ask You to place Your comforting hand on this daughter as she is in the season of letting go of her maturing children – with loosely tied ribbon that has plenty of “give” and never ever separates, but allows for launching that God has always intended. Bless her with an enduring assurance that her husband and children are God’s gifts to her to steward and enjoy, and that the testing of her faith in family life is the way God brings beauty to the fore in her life, for His glory.

Thank you God for giving this girl natural sweetness, fierce love for You and others, and courage to confront the hardness of brokenness in places least expected. Cause her to persist in reflecting the sparkling qualities of Philippians 4:8 – what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent. The radiance of foundational strength that is found in the “stones of turquoise” in Isaiah 54:10-13. The shimmer of unworried birds of the air (Matthew 6:26) who are clothed and cared for by the Father.

Author and Finisher of our faith, enable this daughter to set her eyes on You alone and not the heart wrenches of relational misunderstanding, purposeful snubbing, or flawed institutions. Cause her to flourish and thrive, not because she’s met the expectations and demands of others, but because You are her true and only Source and Your love never disappoints.

With Your amazing grace, bring her safely through this season of emptying the nest, discerning what creative and productive activities will occupy her near future, and what relational investments will be most worthy of her effort and of Your praise. Enable her to reflect the rooted stability of the “tree” metaphor in Psalm 1:1-3, firmly planted, resilient, and close to the spiritual Water Source (Jesus, our Shepherd).

Thank You for granting me the great privilege of being her mother!

Amen.

Prayer For Sixth Granddaughter

Grace, Prayer, Scripture, Truth

Another miracle. This little one is not even three years old yet. We know she is not fond of confinement, time riding in a car, or being strapped in a carseat. She is raring to go, a girl of action! She has the most contagious smile and zest for living! Yet Lord, please give this youngest tike the true enjoyment of her God-given life as she learns and grows. I pray that her greatest pursuit would be after the Lord Jesus and that she would know Psalm 14:2 “The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.”

For the future you have planned for her, Lord, be her ever-present Shepherd and let Your glory shine through her. Give her a joyful heart and a celebration of Your Holy name (I Chronicles 16:10). Even now I pray that her landscape of future interactions with friends, teachers, employers, and spouse be laced with many confirmations that You, God, are sovereignly orchestrating her life, intending to deepen her love for Jesus and to seal her friendship with the Word of God.

Protect her from the physical dangers and mental snares of life while also giving her a forceful strength of character to confront what brings attack. Protect her from false messages and errant doctrine while also giving her Your wisdom which is better than silver, gold, or rubies. Protect her from chaos and confusion while also giving her a life of honor, eternal riches, pleasantness, and peace. (Proverbs 31:13-18)

What might be this granddaughter’s pilgrim’s journey? I pray it would be a fight to thrive and sow endless seeds of grace and mercy to those around her. I pray it would be a fierce determination to understand God’s truth and to share it widely. I pray that she would be the greatest and most loyal friend anyone would ever want. I pray it would be an intense focus on helping others and alleviating their suffering. O Lord, may this little girl make a huge difference in this world, for Your honor and glory!

Amen.

Prayer for Fifth Granddaughter

Prayer, Scripture, Truth

Lord, You are the Giver. The gift of life is Yours alone to give. You graciously reached down to add this little girl to our family when America was in turmoil during a pandemic. We deeply thank You for bringing her safely into her new home, to bless her mom and dad with joy and amazement, in 2020! For this little one, I pray that her “life song” interlocks with the lyrics of the beloved song “Lord, I Lift Your Name on High.”

May this girl proclaim: “Lord, I lift Your name on high; Lord, I love to sing Your praises; I’m so glad You’re in my life; I’m so glad You came to save us. You came from heaven to earth; To show the way; From the earth of the cross; My debt to pay; From the cross to the grave; From the grave to the sky; Lord, I lift Your name on high.”

Her name means “life” and I ask that You would make her life abundant and long, joyful and musical, with laughter and twirls, with fascination and inquiry, with total trust in You Lord. Build her faith early and let her light shine for You on the playground, at dance class, at home, and at church. Send Your angels to keep her safe from harm. Send Your Holy Spirit to draw her to Yourself. Send Your promises to secure her peace.

Let her know the Name of Jesus and the reality of Psalm 9:10 “And those who know Your Name put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.” As this precious girl pursues truth, grows up, asks questions, discovers Your Creation, and looks heavenward, give her Divine direction that leads her straight to Your heart.

Let this granddaughter be a branch of Your planting, Lord (Isaiah 60:21), the work of Your hands that You might be glorified. Nourish her (Ezekiel 31:4) and bring flowing rivers out of her life to encourage those in the fields around her to grow and become healthy.

Let this scripture be infallible for her. Psalm 1:3 “[He] She is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that [he] she does, [he] she prospers.”

Amen.


Prayer For My Grandson

Scripture

J.E.M. are the initials of my one and only grandson. He is set apart as a treasured “g-e-m” because he is the only boy, and because he is uniquely reflective of God’s handiwork, and because he adds an exclamation to our beautiful family! He navigates naturally among the six sisters or cousins that are our grandgirls. As God has Sovereignly placed our grandson in a position to carry on our family name, I pray Lord, that he lifts high the Name of Jesus to the 10th generation and beyond.

For this young grandson, I pray Proverbs 2:1-6 (ESV) “My son, if you receive My words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.”

Father God, I pray that my grandson may always listen hard, cry out for Your help, and devotedly dig for truth in knowing You through the Scriptures and Your Spirit. Grant him the capacity and desire to love You wholeheartedly and to love what You say, even as a young boy.

As my grandson has a love for trains and planes, enable him also to know the reality of soaring on eagle’s wings when he has waited for the Lord Who renews his strength, so he will walk and run by Your Spirit without weakness. Like a smooth train, God, enable my grandson to stay on track with You and Your purposes for his lifetime. Like a reliable jet plane, God, regulate my grandson’s speed in loving others, altitude in humility, and tuned instrumentation in forgiveness. Allow him to land well in good times and bad times for your honor and glory.

Transport my grandson, Lord, to the open road where he may share the Gospel with whomever he meets. Transport him to the heights of the sky that he might always carry with him a vision of Heaven. Transport him daily to the remembrance that You are the loving and gracious Father who gave us this precious gift of one amazing grandson!

Amen.

Prayer for Third Granddaughter

Scripture

Gracious Father;

For this girl, born on the Pacific side of the U.S. one April, I am very thankful. And for her middle name [Grace], I am encouraged by all its nuances. In her case, “Grace” reminds me that God watches over His babies even when grandparents live many miles away. When her name is spoken, I see her smile and her heart. And though she has only lived a little over a decade, she is both a force of life and a gentle spirit!

I ask You Lord to be the “shield about her and the lifter of her head,” that she will always know “how majestic is Your name in all the earth!” As an appreciator of sunrises, sunsets, solar eclipses, boogie boarding in beach waves, or sliding by some method in the snow, let this granddaughter look with fascination at “Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place.”

With her love of sketching, give her Your vision for beauty in Creation. May her words and works entice those around her to a deeper understanding of faith and love as she matures. Put a halo of heavenly-mindedness around her head and a sparkly sunbeam of kindness around her heart. Develop in her the “perfume of praiseful gratitude,” reflecting that she truly understands the meaning of God’s Amazing Grace. Let her use painting, drawing, crafting and coloring to communicate these truths.

With her proximity to family and regular reunions following age two, continue to give her richer and richer relationships with grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Help her take bigger steps into the role of “encourager” in every interaction and become a lover of gospel conversations whereby Jesus is the centerpiece. Having the honor of being the firstborn in her family, give her the unfolding “grace” to set a Christlike example for her siblings in her words and deeds.

May she be a pastor’s daughter who follows her dad into church ministry one day if this is how You, Lord, call her. I pray that You, Lord, will “command Your angels concerning” this beautiful girl to “guard her in all her ways” so that angels’ hands will bear her up, and prevent her from stumbling against a stone. Make Psalm 71:5-6 this granddaughter’s life verse: “For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth. Upon you I have leaned from before my birth; you are He who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of You.”

Thank You, Lord, for this special granddaughter! For God’s glory and praise. Amen.

Psalm 40: Shadow and Light

Scripture

When I read Psalm 40 and ponder my own experience of being in the dark and not seeing God clearly, here’s how I would personalize it as a lament (my Shadow Psalm 40):

I am weary of waiting for God’s help while I experience the heartache of anger, unfairness, and disappointment. Many things go the wrong way and many things feel unredeemable. I am not forthcoming with songs of praise and my trust in God is ebbing. There are circumstances in my life that rob me of security and blessing. I’m full of pride, thinking I know what is best and that God simply doesn’t. My focus is on things other than God’s wonders and plans. I forget the amazingness of God’s deeds with regularity. I act like God is all about keeping score of my good deeds or supposedly “selfless” acts. I forget God’s Word and don’t let what I know about God’s will inform my heart. I remain disbelieving about God’s faithfulness in my life. I don’t acknowledge His love in my life or mercy or protection. Health and other issues are multiplying and my own responses create a perpetual stance of heartbreak and dissatisfaction. I can’t detect God’s timely responses to my needs for rescue.

I dream of the removal of those who take part in what seems like a conspiracy against the life I want to have. I’m impatient for God to expose my enemies to their shame. I don’t seek after God when I should, and I don’t experience joy or gladness when I know God has come to my aid before. I ignore God’s greatness. I am poor – depleted of physical vitality, afraid of the effects of waning strength and mental acuity. I am needy – I’m wishing that my life had matched the picture I had in my mind for what a good life would be. I want God to clear all this up now, and I doubt He will concur with me, care about my anxious thoughts, or show up in my situations.

(My Psalm of Light – God’s Answers to the Shadow):

Proverbs 29:25-26 “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe. Many seek the face of a ruler, but it is from the Lord that a man gets justice.” Matthew 21:21-22 “And Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, Be taken up and thrown into the sea, it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.’ ” Psalm 31:23-24 “Love the Lord, all you His saints! The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!” Habakkuk 3:2 “O Lord, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O Lord, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy.”

2 Chronicles 7:14-15 “If My people who are called by My Name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. Isaiah 43:19 “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Nahum 1:3 “The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet.” Isaiah 58:11-12 “And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundation of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.” Proverbs 30:5 “Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.” Isaiah 59:1 “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear.”

Light overcomes darkness.

A Bit of Holiness

Scripture

David Powlison expressed in his devotional book TAKE HEART, “Being indifferent, or opinionated, or avoidant, or preoccupied comes easy. But it is a bit of holiness when I am happy to see someone, when I ask a question and mean it, when I listen attentively, when I genuinely affirm, when I push back candidly and constructively.”

I am reminded of all the times I have been looking at my phone in a room full of loved ones, present but not really. I think of all the times I am trying to multi-task, get something done, and trying to listen, but not. Lots of half-hearted attempts at true connection swirl around me. Should it be so easy to evade true and meaningful conversation?

Talk is truly cheap unless I am really listening as well as sharing myself. Proximity doesn’t have anything to do with it. I can be sitting beside you and not registering anything that is on your heart. To really know someone is to really love someone.

Hebrews 10:24 says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.” And Proverbs is full of descriptions of kindness and unselfishness in conversation. Proverbs 10:11a says, “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life;” 10:32a “The lips of the righteous know what is fitting;” 11:25b “He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed;” 12:25 “An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.”

It takes a bit of holiness to care, to pray for you in your moment of need, to truly listen to you when you need a friend, to seek to understand what you are going through…

To set my own interests aside to make space for your interests,
To try to walk in your shoes,
To make time to discover what's important to you,
To see how God will connect our hearts through Christ,
To speak the truth in love and in a peaceful tone,
To care about your soul...
It takes a bit of holiness.

Relationship takes work and investment. It's never convenient, but very often produces joy. Even more so, the holiness of Christ can be reflected in our words to one another. The holiness of Christ, Who willingly went to the Cross and conquered sin and death for believers so that we could enjoy a restored relationship with Him. The holiness of Christ Who listens, affirms, and pushes back constructively. The holiness of Christ Who knows exactly what it is like to walk in my shoes and in your shoes. The holiness of Christ Who knows what is important to us. The holiness of Christ  Who invites us into conversation that can never be superficial. The holiness of Christ Who is the One Who truly cares.

Lord, please teach me to ask good questions with interest, listen for every detail, offer heartfelt encouragement, and disagree constructively when necessary. Cure me of my preoccupations and self-absorption. Make me a conduit for a "bit of  Your holiness." Amen.


Prayer Requests Gone Deeper

Scripture

Whenever I’m at a loss about how to pray for another person, I find help in God’s Word, specifically the examples given by Paul’s prayers (sprinkled through his letters). Here are paraphrases:

Acts. 26:29 'praying you might become such as I (Paul) am'

Romans 1:8 'praying your faith might be proclaimed'
Romans 6:17-18 'praying you become obedient from the heart'
Romans 10:1 'praying for your salvation'
Romans 15:30-31 'praying you might be delivered from those who are disobedient; praying your service may prove acceptable'

I Cor. 1:4-8 'praying you will be enriched in Him, in all speech and knowledge...not lacking in any gift'
2 Cor. 2:14 'praying Christ manifests through you the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him'
2 Cor. 8:16 'praying for the earnestness of God'
2 Cor. 9:15 'praying for His indescribable gift in your life'

Eph. 1:15-19 'praying for a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, praying the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so you may know what is the hope of His calling'
Eph. 3:14-19 'praying He strengthens you with power through His Spirit in the inner man...so you may be able to comprehend and know the love of Christ.'
Eph. 6:19-20 'praying utterance is given to you to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel'

Phil. 1:3-5,9-11 'praying that your love may abound in real knowledge and all discernment'

Col. 1:3-6 'praying for a constant increase in fruit bearing'
Col. 1:9-12 'praying you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom; praying you walk in a manner worthy, to please Him in all respects, with steadfastness and patience'
Col. 4:2-4 'praying God may open up to you a door for the word so you can speak forth the mystery of Christ'

I Thess. 1:2-4 'praying for your work of faith, labor of love, steadfastness of hope'
I Thess. 2:13 'praying the word of God performs its work in you'
I Thess. 3:11-13 'praying the Lord will cause you to abound in love for one another and establish your hearts unblamable in holiness'
I Thess. 5:23-24 'praying God will sanctify you entirely'
2 Thess. 1:3 'praying your faith is greatly enlarged and the love of each one grows ever greater'
2 Thess. 1:11-12 'praying God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, that the Lord may be glorified in you'
2 Thess. 2:13 'praying for sanctification by the Spirit'
2 Thess. 2:16-17 'praying God will comfort and strengthen your hearts'
2 Thess. 3:1-2 'praying that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, and you will be delivered from perverse and evil men'
2 Thess. 3:16 'praying the Lord will grant you peace in every circumstance'

1 Tim. 1:12-14 'praying God will strengthen you, consider you faithful, put you into service'
2 Tim. 1:3-4 'praying you will serve God with a clear conscience'

Philemon 4-6 'praying the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ's sake'

Sticky Notes

Family, Grace, Scripture, Tribute

When I have something important to remember, I sometimes jot a a sticky note and then paste it where I know I will see it. With the many distractions of life, remembering important things can be a daunting task… And sticky notes can help.

My mom passed away recently and the process of sorting through her things was one of those projects that was totally overwhelming, yet also helped me to remember her well. Remembering a loved one is a gift that lives on. I found a collection of sticky notes written to mom from my dad. Tucked in a billfold, these were “long ago” messages dad would leave for mom when he went to work and she was still sleeping. Messages as mundane as “Honey, I made the coffee and it is decaf” or as endearing as “I love you.”

Mom almost lived long enough to celebrate her 72nd wedding anniversary. She was very happily married to my dad. They were inseparable and modeled devotion, faith, romance, loyalty, and unity over a long span of time. Even to the end, my dad was holding my mom’s hand at her bedside as she quickly declined during a battle with cancer. Lovers until the end.

I read countless anniversary and birthday cards from my parents to each other over the years. I handled many gifts that they had given each other, including several Bibles and Christian books from each decade. Jewelry, clothing, and all kinds of remembrances. But, it was the sticky notes that grabbed my heart. The daily expressions of care and love. The simple reminders. The evidence of thoughtfulness. The treasures of small amounts of words on little pieces of paper. So, I decided to put the collection of sticky notes at my mom’s side in her casket.

God’s Word is full of imperatives and “remember” is one of them. Psalm 143:5 says, “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that You have done; I ponder the work of Your hands.” We are changed when we remember God’s faithfulness in the past, the days of old. We are encouraged when we remember Daniel’s faith, Solomon’s wisdom, or David’s courage. We are changed when we remember God’s amazing gift of salvation through Christ Jesus. We are moved when we consider the vast details of God’s Creation.

We are changed whenever a good memory brings on a big smile. And likewise, when a bad memory causes heartache…

I am grateful for the wonderful memory of dad’s love for mom. I am changed by it. Although their long romance is too vast to describe here, those sticky notes are indicators of the deep love of a lifetime imprinted on tiny everyday papers, attached to various mirrors and counters, and left behind for a daughter’s remembrance and gratitude.

Similarly, I am grateful for the wonderful memory of God’s love. It is also too vast to describe here, yet Scripture is given to remind me of the deep love of my Lord and Savior Who leaves an eternal reminder imprinted on my heart. This is something my parents have passed on to me. And it will change me forever.