Everyday Prayer with John Calvin
Meditation for the day taken from "Everyday prayer with John Calvin" written by Donald McKim:
Scripture: Gen. 32:9-23
"Sometimes we pray, ask God for something, and then forget about it. We assume that God will act while we stand by and wait for the answer to our prayer to appear. But this is too simple, and it is not what God desires."
Calvin saw, in these steps that Jacob took, a prescription for how we should follow through with our own prayers to God. He wrote, 'After he has prayed to the Lord, and arranged his plans, he now takes confidence and meets the danger. By which example the faithful are taught, that whenever any danger approaches, this order of proceeding is to be observed; first, to resort directly to the Lord; secondly, to apply to immediate use whatever means of help may offer themselves; and thirdly, as persons prepared for any event, to proceed with intrepidity whithersoever the Lord commands. '" (19)
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Christian Basics: The Sustaining Means of God's Love for His People
Introduction
Another new year is upon us, and if you are anything like me, you take the time to reflect on the previous year and make plans and goals for the new one. In some sense, this time of the year allows you to hit the "reset" button on your lives and adjust what needs to be changed related to your families, your relationship with Christ, and other essential matters. It is the second item, your relationship with Christ, that I want to focus on briefly, especially related to the fundamentals of the Christian life.
The basics are very important. If you watch sports, you will notice that when athletes competing at the highest level are in a tight spot and the game is on the line that their fundamentals are what gets them that hit that is needed, or golf shot within feet of the hole, or the important pass to win the game. So much depends on the basics – the fundamentals. It is no different in the Christian life.
Three Fundamentals
So, what are those basics? If each of you were to make a list, I am sure there would be agreement on many items, and perhaps some surprises as well. Allow me a few minutes to discuss three items that are of the utmost importance and ones that I encourage you to consider and reflect upon as you enter a new year.
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Daily Prayer for December 27, 2020
Prayer: Our God, we bless you for the gift of the Lord's Day. Your word tells us that you regard this day as holy. Sadly, and too our own embarrassment, we often find it an interruption to our lives. We know that the command to keep the Sabbath holy uniquely reveals the remaining worldliness in us. We confess our self-centeredness and failure to honor you by spending the whole day in the public and private exercise of your worship. We are ashamed of how much we know this day brings us and how infrequently we take advantage of it. Forgive us, Father. Renew in us a greater love and zeal for the Lord's Day. Open our eyes and hearts that we may truly delight in it, not doing our own pleasure, by delighting in you. We pray this in the name of Christ. Amen.
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Daily Prayer for December 22, 2020
Prayer: Our God in heaven, you were willing to condescend to us and to clothe yourself with human flesh and take upon yourself our nature, yet without sin. By the labors of the second person of the eternal Godhead, you came to redeem us from sin and misery. As the Son labors, he reverses the effect of the Fall. We are thankful to Him for his great work of redeeming us and bringing us peace of conscience. When we think about what the Son did on our behalf, we are ashamed of our lack of zeal and love for him. We fail to adore him as we should. We fall short of the obedience we owe as a result of his saving mercy. So often, we seek our own kingdom and not yours. Forgive us, Lord. Please renew our minds and hearts and conform them to your will. Please grant to us a greater willingness and zeal to love Jesus, your only begotten Son. We pray this in his name. Amen.
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Daily Prayer for December 21, 2020
Prayer: Our great sovereign, the true God of heaven and earth, we come to you on behalf of our nation in which we live. We confess to you that we have placed too much emphasis on the importance of our leaders. We know that your Word states regarding the civil magistrates. We thank you for erecting civil order to govern and protect society. Yet, we also know that these people are mere men. Like us, they sin and fall short of your glory. Too often, we place our trust in princes and not the Prince of Peace. Too often, we complain about what they are doing and what they are not doing. Instead of praying for them, we gripe, murmur, and complain. Forgive us. We pray this day for our leaders. We plead with you to open their eyes and their minds and their hearts to their dire need. May they see that they too need Christ.. May they bow the knee now to the mandates of the true sovereign and king. Restrain them, Father, from evil mandates and laws. Expose their deceit, where it exists, and protect your church from harm. We pray these things in the name of Christ, the true King who rules in justice and mercy. Amen.
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Daily Prayer for December 20, 2020
Prayer: Father, we are blessed with the joy of another Lord's day, which reminds us of the glory we await in the New Heavens and the New Earth. We are thankful that you have provided this day as the marketplace for our souls. From the first week of creation, you set apart this day for man that they may worship you. We know that we do not always regard it as a delight. Instead, we often trample it underfoot, talking idly, and doing our own pleasures. Forgive us, and help us to honor and love this day as you have commanded. We thank you that we have the privilege to worship with your people today and to hear your Word read and proclaimed. We ask that as your people gather, they would behold your majesty and sing your praises. We ask that you would meet with us and bless us, and make your face to shine upon us. We pray these things in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.
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Daily Prayer for December 15, 2020
Prayer: Our God in heaven, your Word tells us that you are the one who sovereignly places men and women in authority over us in civil affairs. We know that there is no guarantee that these people will be godly and righteous. In fact, history has taught us that oftentimes they are not. Yet, your Word also tells us that these people, as given by you, are given for the good of your church. It is through these means that you perfect and provide and protect your church. We also know that your Word tells us to pray for "kings and all those in authority over us." We confess that we often forget to pray for our leaders and, instead, complain about them. We know that your Word denounces a grumbling and complaining spirit. Forgive us and help us to labor on our knees for our government leaders. Please help us to truly pray and plead with you for their good and the advancement of the gospel and the good of the church. We pray this in the name of Christ. Amen.
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Daily Prayer for December 14, 2020
Prayer: Father, we know that you have ordained prayer for the good of your children. Yet, we so often are prayerless in our prayers. We do not plead with you for things essential for our souls. We offer platitudes to the God of heaven and approach you casually and carelessly. We often ask you for trivial things instead of focusing on things that are needful and eternal. We confess that our prayers often reflect that our eyes are set on earth and not on the world to come. When we pray, we forget your promises to provide for all that we need and to conform us more and more to the image of Christ. Teach us to pray! Please help us to labor on our knees depending on the Spirit who knows your mind and ours. Grant us praying hearts and minds. We ask all of these things in the name of Christ. Amen.
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Daily Prayer for December 13, 2020
Prayer: Our great God in heaven, as your people gather today on this holiest day of the week, we pray that we would see your beauty and majesty. We mourn our remaining sin that prevents us from beholding you in all of your glory. We long to be free from this tyranny and to behold the face of your Son. Yet, in this day, you have given us a picture of what we long for and wait for as we meditate on the promise of the King's return. We ask that you would speak to us from your Word today. We plead with you to thunder from the heavens as you have done in days of old. We beseech you to be compassionate to your people and cause your ministers to speak tenderly to Jerusalem. We desire to see great fruit from your Word proclaimed and ask that it not return void but accomplish all you purpose it to do. We pray this in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.
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Daily Prayer for December 11, 2020
Prayer: Our God in heaven, you who love families and ordained marriage as a blessing to your people, we cry out to you for divine help and guidance for those who you joined together. We know that your Word teaches that you love marriage and hate divorce. We know that you have promised to help those who struggle in difficult relationships -- to give them all they need as they learn to depend on you. We pray that you would protect those marriages that are struggling. We pray that you would bless fathers and husbands and help them love their wives as your Son loves the church. We pray that mothers and wives would submit to their husbands as they submit to the Savior. We pray for our covenant children that they would never know a day that they didn't love the Lord Jesus. We pray for our homes that they would have the aroma of Christ. We pray that you would help in all of these matters for the sake of Christ, our Savior. Amen.
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Daily Prayer for December 9, 2020
Prayer: Lord, we plead our cause with you today as your people who are pilgrims in this world. We are exiles, living in a world that s not our home. We are sojourners, traveling through this life anticipating a better country. We cry out to you, "how long?" When will your Son return? When will this struggle be over? As the people of old longed for their redemption and often cried out to you, we too cry out to you pleading for that better country, the New Heavens and New Earth. We long to see sin eradicated from our lives and your creation. We long to be free from the struggle with sin. We long to see Christ coronated as the Lion of Judah. We are weary, Father. We are tired. Please help us to persevere. Give us more grace, Lord. Be merciful to us and help us in the struggle and the fight. May you be pleased to give to your church the will and desire to fight on until we hear the voice of the King. We pray this in His name. Amen.
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Daily Prayer for December 8, 2020
Prayer: Our most holy God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, your Word reminds us of your majesty and grace. It reminds us of your divine providence as you order all things according to the word of your power for your glory and our good. As we review the history of the people of old, we note how often they griped, complained, and murmured against your providence. When hungry, there complained. When thirsty, they complained. When troubled from within and without, they complained. As we observe their behavior, we note that we are sometimes no different. We are ashamed of how often we behave as they did. We desire to be content and rest in your goodness, knowing that you guide our steps and guarantee that we will arrive at our heavenly rest. Please help us to trust you today. Whether this day holds difficulty or ease, we pray that we would be thankful for it. We pray this in the name of the Savior. Amen.
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