The Pastor’s Corner

Everyday Prayer with John Calvin
Scripture: Jeremiah 33:1-9

This passage begins with a brief description of the circumstance of the prophet. 33:1 tells us, "The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the guard." The reference to the "second time" echoes back to 32:1-2. This passage begins by describing to us the awful difficulty facing the prophet. It reminds us of another man of God who was shut up in prison because he was faithful (See Gen. 39:19-23). As the LORD was with Joseph, he is also with Jeremiah. He has not abandoned his servants to the enemy, and he is mindful of their condition. It is here in this miserable state that the LORD says to Jeremiah, "Call to me and I will answer you" (33:3). The God of the covenant promised that he would hear the prayer of his servant, and he would answer him.

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Prayer: Our great God in heaven: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we bless your name today because you are the only true God and our God. You have called us and redeemed us that we may live as salt and light in a dark world. From the pit of misery, you have pulled us out and set our feet on the solid rock, which is your Son. Through his righteousness, you have imputed to us righteousness and accepted us as your children. We belong to you, and, therefore, you hear us when we pray. We thank you for our great High Priest who daily prays for us. We thank you that you have given us the Lord's Day when we come apart from our worldly cares and concerns and focus our attention on your majesty. With your people, we gather today to praise you and hear from you. We pray that you would speak from heaven today and encourage your people. Please grant to your ministers your Holy Spirit as they preach your Word. Please cause us to hear and do that which we hear for your glory and our good. We pray these things in the name of your Son, our Lord. Amen.

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Everyday Prayer with John Calvin
Scripture: Isaiah 65:17-25

This passage describes the joy of the New Jerusalem yet to come, and all that will be for the citizens of the New City. It is with great excitement that we look forward to that day. There are tremendous benefits to this City, and we do well to allow our minds to drift towards them as they are here summarized.

First, note the attitude in which the saints will demonstrate upon the arrival of the New Jerusalem: they will be glad and rejoice! (65:18). This attitude undergirds the entire passage as it gives reasons why we will rejoice and be glad. Even today, as we await this New Jerusalem, we have reason to rejoice and be glad. Our chief end in life is to glorify our God and Redeemer and enjoy him. We do this, in part, today through the celebration of the Lord's Day that our God has been pleased to grant. On that day, we taste in part the heavenly joys of the New City that will come.

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Prayer: Our God in heaven, we bow before you today to pray and plead with you for the things we need. We know that we need prayer, and we know that we have been granted access to you through your Son. Thank you for the great privilege afforded to us when we can come to you and commune with you. We confess our weakness in prayer. We confess our prayerless prayers. We confess that we do not pray as we ought, and we do not pray nearly enough. Forgive us for such laziness in our prayer lives. Forgive us for not spending the time each day to plead with you for our nation, our world, our families, our churches, and our lost friends and loved ones. Forgive us for not being godly examples of prayer to our children. Forgive us for not gathering with your people to pray with them. We grieve our poor efforts and know that you are patient with us though we often stray in this area. Please help us and remind us to pray more and to plead with you, the one true God and sovereign of all things. Thank you for forgiving us and grant to us a true heart of repentance in this area. We pray these things in the name of the one who is mediating for us each day, the Lord Jesus. Amen.

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This entire section of the sixty-third chapter is a prayer of lament and penitence. Some commentators believe this prayer continues through the next chapter. In these verses, what is important to note is that the prophet is addressing God, and he is pouring out his heart before him. The reason is simple: the people of God have turned from the ways they were commanded to go. They had fled from their God and are reaping the effects of it (63:17). The prophet pleads on behalf of the people, and he does so as one who addresses God as "Father." Twice in this passage (63:16), God is addressed in this manner. The point of the address is that Jehovah is to be seen and approached as a child would come to their earthly father -- pouring out their hearts and emotions before him. We have witnessed this many times, I'm sure, with our children. Something happens, and they come rushing to their father with great emotion, saying whatever comes to mind. That is the idea here. The prophet is pleading with the Father of heaven (63:15) on behalf of his soul, his people, and God's people.

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Q4 What is God?
God is a Spirit, (John 4:24) infinite, (Job 11:7–9) eternal, (Ps. 90:2) and unchangeable, (James 1:17) in his being, (Exod. 3:14) wisdom, (Ps. 147:5) power, (Rev. 4:8) holiness, (Rev. 15:4) justice, goodness, and truth. (Exod. 34:6–7)

Prayer: Almighty God, you are the one that we praise and adore. With great thanksgiving, we come to you to pray to you and praise you for the many mercies that you pour out on undeserving creatures. We are creatures of dust. We are here today, and we are gone tomorrow. We are a flower that quickly fades. Yet, you are from everlasting to everlasting, infinitely holy in all your works and words. We confess that we often forget that your holiness requires that we be holy as you are holy. You have redeemed us to this end, that we would be like your Son, the righteous One. Forgive us, Father, for not striving after holiness in our lives. Forgive us for forgetting that your holy eyes behold all that we do. Please grant us a greater measure of your Spirit that we would strive for holiness as you have commanded. We thank you for helping us. We pray these things in the name of the Savior. Amen.

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Prayer: Our glorious and majestic God, you who have condescended to sinners and invited them into your presence through your blessed and only begotten Son, we praise you for the Lord's day, the queen of days and marketplace for our souls. On this day, you graciously invite your people to come and behold your glory and hear from you as your Word is read and proclaimed. Through the gathering of the saints, we are perfected and encouraged to persevere in our labors through this life. As pilgrims, we need this day to be encouraged in our hope of that which is ahead for those who love you and are called according to your purpose. We long for the completion of your gathering your people to yourself and look forward with great expectation to the New Heavens and the New Earth, where we will worship you in perfection and holiness. Please grant us a greater zeal to approach you today and to praise you with our voices in song. Please give us ears to hear and eyes to see your beauty and majesty as your Word is read and proclaimed. Grant us more diligence to not only hear your Word but to do what we hear. We pray these things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Q4 What is God?
God is a Spirit, (John 4:24) infinite, (Job 11:7–9) eternal, (Ps. 90:2) and unchangeable, (James 1:17) in his being, (Exod. 3:14) wisdom, (Ps. 147:5) power, (Rev. 4:8) holiness, (Rev. 15:4) justice, goodness, and truth. (Exod. 34:6–7)

Prayer: Our God, we praise you and thank you that you are a God who is all-powerful, able to do all your holy will in your world. Because of this clear truth of your Word, we can rely on you to do exceedingly, abundantly beyond all we can ask or think. You are the God who safely brought the church of old across the Red Sea. You are the God who brought the city of Jericho to its knees. You are the God who stopped the sun in its tracks. You are the God who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead. We thank you for these examples of your mighty power that encourage us to admire and behold your ability to do all things and do them well. Forgive us for failing to believe these things as we pray. Grant to us more grace to believe that you can do all that you desire to do, and what you do is for our good and your glory. We pray this in the name of the Savior. Amen.

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Prayer: Our God in heaven, we know that your Word tells us that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from your mouth. We are thankful that you have given us your Word to guide and direct us in a world that is antithetical to all you have commanded. We live in difficult and trying days -- days which see men promoting and trading evil as good and denouncing that which is good as evil and wicked. The voice of our culture is often discouraging to hear, and it frustrates even the godliest saint. Yet, we find in your Word a clear message from heaven that you offer hope and forgiveness to sinful people. That voice speaks calmly to restless sheep and offers the great hope of the new Heavens and the New Earth. Your Word speaks of an eternal rest to come for your people, a rest that will be ruled and reigned over by the king of Kings and lords, the very Prince of Peace himself. Though we wait for it with patience and expectation, we thank you that you have given us the Lord's Day when we come apart from the noise of our culture and gather with your people to hear from you. Please speak today! May we hear from heaven a clear voice of hope and love and favor that comes through your Son, our Lord, and Savior. We pray these things in his name. Amen.

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Q4 What is God?
God is a Spirit, (John 4:24) infinite, (Job 11:7–9) eternal, (Ps. 90:2) and unchangeable, (James 1:17) in his being, (Exod. 3:14) wisdom, (Ps. 147:5) power, (Rev. 4:8) holiness, (Rev. 15:4) justice, goodness, and truth. (Exod. 34:6–7)

Prayer: Our Father in heaven, you who are good and kind to your people, a God who is unlike the deaf idols of Israel, a God who hears and acts according to your perfect wisdom and knowledge. We thank you that you stand ready and able to help us with all of our needs. We bless your name because you have told us that you care for us. We are thankful that you have perfect wisdom and knowledge, that it is infinite and unchangeable. We thank you that you are pleased to grant it to your people as they ask for it. We know that your Word is full of wisdom, and you have been pleased to give us an entire book in which we can glean the never-changing precepts and principles of your own mind. Forgive us for too often acting on our own understanding instead of determining to seek your face and hear from you. Please help us, by your Spirit, to rely on your Word, which imparts perfect wisdom to us. We pray these things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Q4 What is God?
God is a Spirit, (John 4:24) infinite, (Job 11:7–9) eternal, (Ps. 90:2) and unchangeable, (James 1:17) in his being, (Exod. 3:14) wisdom, (Ps. 147:5) power, (Rev. 4:8) holiness, (Rev. 15:4) justice, goodness, and truth. (Exod. 34:6–7)

Prayer: Our God in heaven, the majestic and holy one, we thank you for the great privilege we have of coming to the alone sovereign of heaven and earth. We are grateful that you are a God who never changes. Like God, you cannot lie, and as such, your promises for us are true and reliable. There is great comfort in knowing that as you speak to your people through your Word, we can rely on it and depend on it because the one who spoke those words will not suddenly change and do something else. Therefore, as we pray, we pray to a God that hears and acts according to all he has said. Your unchangeable nature should move us to rest on your though there are many times when we fret and worry. Forgive us, Father. Help us remember that you have made promises to us, and you will accomplish all of them according to your holy purposes. We pray these things in the name of the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Q4 What is God?
God is a Spirit, (John 4:24) infinite, (Job 11:7–9) eternal, (Ps. 90:2) and unchangeable, (James 1:17) in his being, (Exod. 3:14) wisdom, (Ps. 147:5) power, (Rev. 4:8) holiness, (Rev. 15:4) justice, goodness, and truth. (Exod. 34:6–7)

Prayer: Our God in heaven: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, it is a great wonder that you have determined to reveal yourself to helpless sinners. You have done so in creation. You have also done so clearly in your Word. You have declared that you are a Spirit and, therefore, it is a great sin to make any image or representation of you. Men, however, pervert your glory and all that you say about yourself by carving images and posting pictures that appear to depict you. The foolishness of our own hearts thinks that somehow we can capture your majesty, and we fall short each time. Forgive your church, O God, for such stupidity and violently breaking your command not to make any representation of the Godhead. Help us dwell on your beauty without these feeble aids and grant us a greater zeal to uphold your Word. We pray these things in the name of the Savior. Amen.

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