by William Hill | Sep 22, 2023 | Daily Prayers
Prayer: We give you thanks, O Lord because your steadfast love is what we can count on daily. Your love is great, a love for us that had no beginning and will have no end. You demonstrated this love by giving us your beloved Son. It is good for us to say it and proclaim it from the rooftops, the mountains, our homes, and our jobs. It is good for us to speak of your infinite love to all those who will hear it, to those you give ears to hear. You gathered us from the various corners of this life, many of us drawn to you by your kind providence through many twists and turns of this life. Many of us wandered hopelessly in desert places with no hope in the world. Others were suffering and struggling, burdened by daily things that weighed them down. Others, still, were rebellious toward you, actively resisting your grace. Yet, you were kind and good, gracious beyond measure, and delivered all of them to the Rock of our salvation. We thank you for not leaving us to our miserable ways and the end that is nothing but ruin and destruction. AS your redeemed people, we confess that we often stray from you. Though we know how good you are and that you gave us your Word so we would not walk in darkness, there are times when we turn aside from it. Forgive us, Father. Please grant us the joy of your salvation. Restore our first love and help us walk according to all you command. Please give us great affection for your Son and our Lord. These things we pray through the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Scripture Meditation: Psalm 107
by William Hill | Sep 21, 2023 | Daily Prayers
Prayer: Our Father in heaven, we give you praise and ascribe to you glory because you are good and kind, the God who comforts his people in times of difficulty and hardship. You are our God, and we are your people and the sheep of your pasture. You have called us your treasured possession, and we are because you have called us from darkness to your marvelous light. You have set our feet on the solid rock which is Christ, and you have blessed us with the good things of this life. Because of your grace, you have not and will not treat us as we deserve. You know our frame, our weaknesses, and how much we depend on you. We thank you for being good, and your steadfast love for your often wandering people endures forever. We call to mind your marvelous deeds and draw comfort from your work of calling a people to yourself. Through Abraham, you established your covenant and said that his seed would be as the sand of the seashore. You promised him a son and gave him Isaac, further establishing your promises. You then called Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and David and confirmed your eternal love for them. Finally, you gave us the seed of the woman who has crushed the head of the serpent, and in him, we, being his seed, find peace and joy as we are united to you. Your acts of redeeming a people for yourself are great and worthy of our entire life.
Yet, Father, there are times when we stray from your commands. As those people of old, we sometimes fashion idols for ourselves and forget you. Like our fathers, we often hear you but then forget what we hear. Like the church of old, we sometimes despise the good things you give and grow restless, murmuring and complaining at your kind gifts. Forgive us, Father. Please grant us the gift of repentance and help us to walk according to your ways. May you help us to praise you with our hearts, lips, and lives we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Scripture Meditation: Psa. 106
by William Hill | Sep 20, 2023 | Daily Prayers
Prayer: Almighty God, we bow before you today because you are good and gracious, the God who remembers his covenant, faithfully guiding and directing our steps day after day. We thank you because you have redeemed us by the blood of your beloved Son. We are grateful to you because you provide us with all we need daily. You provide us with our daily bread and you give to us your Word, which is our spiritual food because we know that man does not live by bread alone. We call upon your holy name today because you are sovereign, working all things according to the counsel of your will for the good of your glory and the good of your church. We sing to you, from our hearts, because you have been good to us, revealing yourself in creation and your Word. We seek you, our God, for the strength we need in this sin-wrecked world. We plead with you to grant us your Spirit so we will not sin against you. We ask you to be with us and guide us, never leaving us or forsaking us. We confess to you that we often stray from your commands. Though you have promised to guide us, we are like sheep that often go astray. Yet, you do not abandon us but leave the ninety-nine and pursue us because of your great love for us. You protect us throughout all our days, and though you sometimes lead us into temptation, we know you will uphold and sustain us when we are tempted. As the God of our fathers, we are reminded of the numerous ways by which you faithfully led your people. You do that today through the ordinary means of your Word, sacraments, and prayer. We pray that you will bless those things to us and that your Spirit will grant us the help of these means as we seek your kingdom and righteousness. Please help us, Father. We are your children and desperately need your grace all of our days. These things we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Scripture Meditation: Psalm 105
by William Hill | Sep 19, 2023 | Daily Prayers
Prayer: Our Father in heaven, we praise your name, for you have made us and fashioned us to give you glory, honor, and adoration. Indeed, there is no God like you who knows our frame and knows that we are dust. You gave us your Word to guide our path and help us walk according to all you command. Because of the work of Christ, we have your Holy Spirit to comfort us in the journey and equip us for all things pertaining to godliness and righteousness. As our Creator and Father, we owe you our lives each day, though we know we fall short of that which your glory demands. Forgive us, and help us to praise you with our lips, hearts, and actions. May your people see your glory today and offer you the worship you deserve. May your will be done on earth as in heaven, and may you be worshiped and praised as the one true God who made the heavens and the earth. These things we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Scripture Meditation: Psalm 104
by William Hill | Sep 18, 2023 | Daily Prayers
NOTE: This prayer is written in light of the devotional from Prov. 18:8
Prayer: Our Father, you have graciously given your creatures the means to communicate. You have given us a tongue in which we can sing your praises, bless and edify others, preach your Word, and encourage others. You have given us ears to hear those things, and we bless your name for it. Yet, we confess that we often use both as occasions to sin. We are not always careful with our lips, often saying things we should not, gossiping and slandering others made in your image. From that same mouth comes blessing and cursing, and we know that these things should never happen. Additionally, Father, we confess that we often listen to things your Word prohibits. We are miserable creatures, indeed. Please forgive us and remind us to exercise self-control in these things. Please remind us of the hope and comfort we have from Christ, who is the gospel. Please soothe us with the comfort in knowing that you do forgive these things and cleanse us from all unrighteousness displayed by our tongues and ears. Thank you for your patience, and grant us your Spirit so we will control our tongues and ears to your glory. We pray these things in the name of Christ our Lord. Amen.
Scripture Meditation: Prov. 18:8
by William Hill | Sep 17, 2023 | Daily Prayers
Prayer: Our Father, we thank you for rescuing us from the land of Egypt, where we suffered under the cruelness of a harsh ruler. We thank you for the redemption secured by your mighty hand in giving us the Passover Lamb to save us. Through his blood, we have hope, though we still journey to that heavenly rest of absolute peace and comfort. Like our fathers of old, you did not leave them to fend for themselves in their journey. You gave them water from the rock and bread from heaven. You established one day in seven for rest as a picture of the eternal rest they longed for. You do that today – the Lord’s Day. You were faithful to our forefathers, and you are faithful to us today by calling us apart from many things of this life to publicly and privately worship you. We thank you for providing us with all we need, including this day of hope and rest in Christ. We pray that you will be pleased to meet with your burdened people and speak plainly of your love and peace. We ask that your Word would be read and preached with great power. We ask that your Spirit will attend to all we do as we look to the God of our salvation for the help we need. Be kind to us, Father. Grant us your Spirit as promised because of the work of your Son. These things we pray in his name. Amen.
Scripture Mediation: Ex. 12; 2 Tim. 4:1-5