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DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Humility

Humble Savior,
“[You] did come to be served, but to serve, and to give your life as a ransom for many” (Mk. 10:45). There will never be a greater sacrifice than your humble death on Good Friday – and you did that for me! Even prior to that, your whole life had been a life of humble sacrifice – and you lived sacrificially for me! That you humbly lived and died for me is more than I will ever be able to fully comprehend.

What I do ask, Jesus, is to be able to reflect your humility daily in my own life. I know how unnatural it is for me to think more highly of others than myself, but I also know that selfish part of me was crucified with you. Equip the new man in me to set aside my own self interests and to focus on serving others. Help me to think of my self less and to fill my thoughts and desires instead with meeting my neighbor’s needs however I can. Give me a genuine servant’s heart, and use me to build up and bless my family, my friends, acquaintances, and even strangers, in every possible way.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

Defying Death Is Not Death-Defying

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(Mark 5:21-24a, 35-43)

Have you noticed the shift in the way we discuss death and prepare for it as a society? A friend recently shared an article from a rabbi regarding death. The article had some good insights in preparing for death that would be very beneficial for anyone to consider. He presented a number of thought-provoking questions that could probably help anyone struggling with the reality of death. The general approach he took in his article was to emphasize the importance of making sure you’re living the life you want to live right now that lines up with your priorities.

Ironically, what his article on death did not address, is what actually happens to us when we die. More and more, this seems to be the trend regarding death and end-of-life issues – we avoid the death part. Certain practices that are becoming more prevalent, like holding “Celebration of Life” events in place of funerals or memorial services, or even a living funeral that allows the person to participate in their own funeral before they die, reflect this avoidance of death. Our aversion to discussing death isn’t necessarily a surprise, as it likely comes from either a fear of what that might be, or the uncertainty that prompts us to keep our collective heads in the sand and avoid the topic altogether.

But if there is anyone in our society who should have no problem taking the lead in discussing this topic that applies to everyone, it should be Christians. Death does not need to be a taboo topic for those of us who by faith cling to the One who undid death and its terrifying threats. Death is different for the children of God than it is for the children of this world. Jesus reminds us why in this section of Mark’s Gospel, and as the current series (“A Top-Down Faith”) concludes, we thank God for the top-down faith that allows us to see death differently – not as the world does, but as it really is.

The man named Jairus would never view death the same. We don’t know much about Jairus outside of this account. His position as synagogue leader would have been similar to someone serving on a church council or even as the church president. He was responsible for overseeing and managing the synagogue. When his daughter became sick, Mark details for us how he approached Jesus. “Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. He pleaded earnestly with him, ‘My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live’” (v.22-23).

The disciples in the boat last week could have taken a page from the synagogue leader’s request in how to appropriately approach Jesus! We see in Jairus two things that are noteworthy. One, he demonstrates a confident trust that Jesus was able to heal his daughter, and two, the manner by which he asks displays an endearing measure of humility. Unlike the disciples, Jairus didn’t arrogantly conclude in the midst of his own personal storm regarding his daughter’s terminal illness that Jesus must not have cared. Instead, he humbly expressed his confidence in Jesus by politely asking him to heal her.

Jesus obliged. He then accompanied Jairus to his home. However, tragedy struck while they were on their way. Before they had arrived, they were met with the devastating news that it appeared to be too late. His daughter had already died. The messengers reasoned that there was no point in having Jesus continue on to the house anymore since she was already dead.

But Jesus had other plans. “Overhearing what they said, Jesus told [Jairus], ‘Don’t be afraid; just believe’” (v.36). When you have a miracle of this magnitude where a dead person is raised to life, it isn’t surprising for that kind of a thing to generally grab all the attention in the narrative. But we would miss out on so much if we neglected to delve more into the details of Jesus’ response to Jairus!

“Don’t be afraid.” Fear surrounding death comes in all shapes and sizes. There is a fear of the unknown surrounding death. While the Bible makes it clear what happens when believers die, it doesn’t walk us through the actual experience of dying itself, nor do we always know how we’re going to die. There is also a fear of the unknown regarding the remaining family members after a death. How will they handle it? How will they be cared for? How will they get through x/y/z without this person? And to all of these fears, the unbeliever can add another: the fear of uncertainty in not knowing where he is going, or even the intuitive awareness that her life has not measured up, and she will have to face the consequences. 

Of those fears just mentioned, only the last one is justified, for if nothing changes for the unbeliever, there is no more legitimate fear than that of suffering in hell for eternity! To the other fears, though, just as Jesus said to Jairus, so he says to us: “Don’t be afraid.”

Let your anxious fears be drowned in those words. Do not insist on following them with a “but…” or a “how…” or any other uncertainties for which we might be inclined to seek out an answer. Just take Jesus’ words to heart.

He didn’t explain to Jairus why he didn’t need to be afraid. He didn’t lay out his plans for raising his daughter so that it made sense to Jairus why he didn’t need to be afraid. He just eased his aching heart with the assurance that he had nothing to fear. In fact, instead of being afraid, Jesus encouraged Jairus to replace that fear with something else: faith.

“Just believe,” Jesus said. It’s the easiest thing in the world. It’s also the hardest thing in the world.

On the one hand, since the work of conversion, of coming to faith in Jesus, is entirely and completely the work of the Holy Spirit through and through, it couldn’t be easier! He did that work in us. We have no claim to make or any role to play in coming to faith. It is all God’s work, not ours. We did nothing – that’s easy!

However, having been brought to faith in Jesus and now being aware of all of the gracious promises he gives us in his Word, it becomes more difficult to “just believe.” That’s because we start to see how often our own thoughts and experiences in life seem to test our trust in those promises. It is easy to say I believe in Jesus; it is hard to live in his promises by faith. It’s hard not to demand knowing the answer when we’re at a crossroad in life. It’s hard not to insist on being in control of challenging situations. It’s hard when things don’t work out the way I want them to or think they should. Regardless of whatever the circumstances may be, to look to and lean on every word and promise of God – this is a hard thing! 

But it gets easier the more we do it. Rather than trying to understand why it’s reasonable or makes sense in this or that scenario to believe, just believe. Just listen to Jesus. It doesn’t have to make sense first. I don’t have to see the clear, logical path first. I don’t have to have the answer or solution first. No, first, believe. Then, faith will see what happens next. For example, a dead daughter being raised back to life.

Notice that Jesus didn’t raise Jairus’ daughter because Jairus understood it or could explain to the crowds what Jesus was about to do. No, Jesus raised her because… Jesus raised her. Because he could. Because he cared. Because there are no limitations to what God can do. He is capable of doing anything at any time. Just believe.

Some didn’t. Some didn’t believe. In fact, not only did they not believe Jesus, they took it a step further and ridiculed him with laughter. “When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, ‘Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.’ But they laughed at him” (very.38-40). They did not, as Jesus had encouraged Jairus, “just believe.” And for their lack of faith, they weren’t allowed to witness the miracle first hand. Jesus dismissed them and cleared out the home.

But Jairus, who had already displayed the confidence that Jesus could powerfully intervene on behalf of his daughter, saw his faith rewarded, and along with him his wife, who likely shared his trust in Jesus. Together with the three disciples of Jesus’ inner circle, they all witnessed the impermanence of death when Jesus is involved. “He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished” (v.41-42). Jesus didn’t disappoint. 

Neither does our faith in Jesus. 

A faith in Jesus that fully trusts what he is capable of doing does not have to insist that he do it. What I mean is this. Sometimes people – even Christians – make the measure of their faith conditional. Their faith is dependent upon whether or not God acts on their behalf in accordance with their desired outcome in any situation. If he doesn’t, their faith diminishes. But that sort of a faith doesn’t really have much of a foundation.

Rather, a faith that fully believes that God can do something, but also remains intact – strong even – in the times when God chooses not to act in accordance with our desires or wishes – now that is faith! To believe that God can heal my loved one dying of this or injured by that, but nonetheless embracing the outcome by faith even if he doesn’t – this is the faith we’re after! Because it is a faith that really sees death as it is: temporary. A nap. Nothing more than restful sleep.

Doesn’t it stand out how casually Jesus treats death in this account? There was no special potion or concoction that needed to be crafted, no ritual or rite that needed to take place. There were no steps to carry out beforehand for it all to work out. Jesus simply told a little girl to wake up from her nap. That is what death is to Jesus! What do we, who are in Jesus, have to fear?!?

So let us apply this to our own death, and to the deaths of those we love who are in Christ. When facing what appears to be imminent death, is God able to intervene and hold off death? Absolutely. We know he is. But will he choose to do so just because he can? Not always, for he personally knows two things that we can’t fully grasp.

One, he knows how much more incredible it is for the believer to cross the finish line home into heaven. What a great reminder for us to shift away from speaking of those who have died as being “taken from this world.” Death is not being taken from this world; rather, it is being brought into the presence of Jesus!

Two, Jesus fully knows that death is a short-lived sleep from which all physical bodies of believers will be raised. We will be glorified to live eternally in the new heaven and earth that is coming. And it will be one without cemeteries.

Therefore, we can face death fearlessly. Having been washed in the waters of our baptism, having been fed a steady diet of Word and Sacrament, having heard the absolving words of Jesus from the pages of Scripture and from the lips of fellow believers, “you are forgiven,” death is nothing more than a peaceful sleep, a restful nap, that does more than just open a window into pleasant dreams, but ushers us into the perfect reality of home in heaven. 

The raising of Jairus’ daughter was not the headliner – just the opening act. The real performance was Jesus’ own death and resurrection! Because of that, death and fear do not go hand-in-hand for the believer.

Here is a reminder from Hebrews to cement this truth in your hearts. “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death” (Hebrews 2:14-15). In Christ, God took on a body so that the power of death could be broken and that we would be freed from death and freed from being enslaved by the fear of death.

Defying death is not death-defying. There is no danger or risk in dealing confidently with death. You know and believe in the One who undid death. So be unafraid to discuss death with others, and alleviate their fears by pointing them to Jesus, who defied death for us.

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Carry out My Great Commission

Lord of the Church,
When you sent your disciples on their mission to make disciples, you were entrusting that mission to your Church for all time. When you entrusted that mission to your Church for all time, you were entrusting it to me. As a believer, you desire to use my gifts and my lips to put your Word to work in every way possible to make disciples.

Yet I confess that this mission of the church – my mission – is far too often an afterthought. The lost are last on my mind. My focus is naturally on my own situation rather than my neighbor’s soul. Cover me with your mercy and forgive my indifference toward evangelism. Give me a mission-minded heart and a Spirit-filled awareness of those around me who need you. Regularly provide me with opportunities to evangelize, and fill me with the courage of the apostle Paul to speak up in those situations and confidently confess the good news of the gospel to others.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For a Penitent Spirit

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. The pattern of confession and absolution in worship reminds me that daily I die to sin and am raised to new life in Christ, and this only by the power of the gospel. Renew my spirit in worship this morning as in different ways it calls to mind my baptismal life and feeds my hungry soul through the Supper whenever it is offered. Grant me a penitent spirit, one that is not only aware of my sin and sorry for it, but also willing and open to confess it. Guard my heart from being deceived into thinking I could somehow hide any sin. Then, as I depart your house of worship this morning, always surround me with dedicated brothers in Christ who are bold and unafraid to point out the sin in me which I either can’t see or refuse to see on my own. And make us all even more eager to assure each other of your unconditional forgiveness. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Fruit of the Spirit: Goodness

Holy Spirit,
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Let this fruit be evident in my life in abundance, I pray. Today I ask you to work goodness in and through me. 

While the whole world has been negatively affected by the Fall and sin is certainly prevalent everywhere, there appears to be a glaring absence of goodness all around. Sadly, words that used to be spoken somewhat lightheartedly, “a good man is hard to find,” are true now as much as they ever were. 

But rather than merely lamenting the lack of goodness, I want to be part of the solution. Wash away and cleanse in me all that is opposed to what is good, and replace it with a positive, gospel-saturated spirit. Bend my heart toward thoughts, speech, and behavior that is not just good for my sake, but which serves the greater good of everyone around me. Just as surely as the Good Shepherd’s goodness follows me all the days of my life, so allow that goodness to leave its mark wherever I am. Then cause it to multiply and flourish far and wide.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Your Presence

Ever-present Lord,
Before you ascended, you assured your disciples that you would be with them always. You also promise that you will never leave nor forsake me. I believe you, because your words and promises never fail. 

Nevertheless, there are certainly times when my feelings don’t match my faith. I question why it feels like my prayers are falling on deaf ears. I struggle and cannot escape feelings of loneliness. At times I even depart worship and wonder if you were really there. 

During those doubts, allow my faith to swell up and overshadow my unreliable feelings. Redirect me away from shallow feelings to the substance of my faith: your Word. My own feelings deceive me, but your Word never will. Although at times I drift away from you, you will never depart from me nor turn your face from me. Give me the sturdy faith to believe it.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Families

Loving Father,
You have established the family to be a blessing – a blessing that extends well beyond the walls of a home, into communities and societies. Since healthy families begin with strong marriages, thank you for bringing husbands and wives together and binding them in dedicated commitment to each other and to you. Fill them with the grace to love and forgive each other unconditionally. 

Where you have granted the gift of children, guide parents to raise them under the shadow of the cross and to model for them what a love for you and your Word looks like. Lead them to exercise godly discipline always in love, that you might produce righteousness in and through their children. Grant children a willing spirit of obedience and help them to respect their parents. Make the extended family to be a system of support and encouragement as well, providing nurture and direction as needed. 

While all homes are broken to some degree by sin, some struggle with unique challenges. Bring your healing especially into those homes, so that even when families are dysfunctional, your grace might abound and bring blessing. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For those Serving in our Government

Mighty Lord,
Grant wisdom to all who serve in all areas of our government. As they conduct their daily business, surround them with an abundance of wise counsel. In striving to carry out the will of those they represent, they are often tasked with the challenge of satisfying those who hold opposing wishes. Where compromise is possible and prudent, lead them to seek it. Guard them from personal agendas or outside interests which seek to influence their decision making. Help them to manage their time well, being protective of their marriage and family needs. Protect their reputations from slander, gossip, and mudslinging, and keep them from being responsible for it. Bless them in their faithful service, and make them a blessing to those they represent.  

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

Serving Through Storms

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(Mark 4:35-41)

We have it wrong. I suppose the easy explanation as to why would be the fall into sin. Ever since the devil led Adam & Eve to question if God was hiding something from them or had their best interest in mind, we’ve followed suit. With the Fall, a default of doubt was established. When coupled with suffering or difficulties in our lives then, that doubt leads us to question God’s care and concern for us. Our upbringing and how we were raised can also add to this challenge. If we weren’t allowed to experience failure or adversity, if parents guarded against any notion of hardship or suffering, then our lives may seem to fall apart when they do hit.

Going a step further, when those storms we face in life are associated with certain people or organizations, we naturally conclude the same about those responsible: they don’t really care about us. The child asked to clean up after himself or carry out chores or help around the house is convinced that dad & mom are out to make life miserable. The teenager who isn’t granted the same permissions or freedoms that his friends’ parents allow presumes his own parents are uncaring or just downright mean. The extra protocols at work and exhausting policies for how everything is to be carried out are nothing more than a power play from management to flex authority. The government imposes this tax or passes that law that is deliberately oppressive just because it can. 

We therefore conclude that all hardship or struggle is negative and to be avoided at all costs. The path to peace and happiness is to altogether avoid, limit, or as quickly as possible put an end to whatever is hard or hurts, or distance ourselves from those responsible for it – even God.

But we have it wrong. What if God has other purposes in mind through such adversity? What if, bear with me for just a moment, God actually wants to serve you through suffering? Could it be? Rather than presuming a good God must be a God who removes anything hard or hurtful from our lives, what if a good God is instead one who uses what is hard or hurtful even for our good? This is not easy to believe, which is why it fits in with our current series – only a top-down faith can grasp this!

That kind of faith still had plenty of room to grow in the disciples who were with Jesus as the stormy squall suddenly showed up and nearly swamped their ship. To their credit, when things looked bleak, they did the right thing and sought out Jesus. To their shame, however, they drew the wrong conclusion when they found him sleeping through the storm.

“The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’” (v.38). In their minds, the fretting and the fear in the face of the storm was normal, appropriate behavior. After all, their lives were in danger, and they knew Jesus could do something about it. Since he wasn’t, they concluded that he must not care about them.

This wasn’t their first outing with Jesus, remember. They had already witnessed many times what Jesus was able to do. Miracles followed everywhere they went. Jesus had cast out demons. Jesus had healed the sick, including Peter’s own mother-in-law. Jesus had shown what he was capable of doing when people were enduring hardship or hurt: he took care of it. So if he had shown himself able to take care of such dilemmas in the past, but wasn’t so much as lifting a finger in the present dilemma, the disciples concluded he must not really care.

Oh how often we draw the same misguided, mistaken conclusion! When God, who can act and intervene on our behalf in the face of hardship or hurt doesn’t, then he must not really care. When my singleness becomes a cross to bear and the God who instituted marriage and brings husbands and wives together in marriage still hasn’t done so for me, doesn’t he care? When the God who has shown he can heal others of their cancer hasn’t done so for me, doesn’t he care? When I struggle to rub two pennies together and find myself financially strapped, doesn’t he care? When others talk behind my back and trash and trample my name and reputation, doesn’t he care?

And we often allow our shock to reach even higher levels when we revisit our own behavior in these situations and like to highlight the good we’ve been doing on our end. I’m using my singleness to give more attention to my faith, to better myself and to grow, but still I’m single. I make my appointments, pay attention to my diet, and go above and beyond, but still the cancer spreads. I give generous offerings, but still have financial hardships. I treat others kindly and respectfully, always avoiding gossip, and still my name is mud.

What we’re telling ourselves and God in those situations is essentially, “God, I’m doing my part – why aren’t you stepping in and doing yours? Why are you letting this storm continue in my life?” When we wrestle with these kinds of conclusions in our own minds, I wonder if we can see ourselves in the boat with the disciples, in line right behind them, waiting for our turn to rustle Jesus awake and chide him for not caring about us more by stepping up and doing something. 

The disciples were surprised at what they found when they sought out Jesus in the storm. “Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion” (v.38). How could Jesus nap at a time like that? Why wasn’t he awake, his mind overthinking everything and playing out the worst-case scenarios? “What if a disciple is lost overboard?” “What if the boat capsizes and everyone drowns?” “What if this is a premature end for Jesus and he dies before he has been able to carry out the full work of salvation?” Where was the worry? Where was the concern?

Rather than questioning Christ’s care, they should have been shocked for an entirely different reason. A better question would have been “Where do we find this kind of peaceful rest in the midst of the storm?” That should have been the question on the mind of the disciples. But they could only see what was in front of them. They could only focus on the choppy water and the clouds clapping with thunder and the pelting rain as the boat was thrashing back and forth, completely at the mercy of the sea. 

It is so difficult for us to look beyond those things, too, isn’t it? We only see the turmoil and testing right in front of us. We have tunnel vision and the rest of the world – including other people’s concerns and worries and problems – is blurred out to us while our own problems sharpen into focus. That’s all we see – our problems… and God’s lack of intervention to do something about them.

But why was Jesus able to sleep? Because he knew his Father was on 24-hour watch. He could sleep peacefully because he had a perfect faith that trusted his Father’s promise to never leave or forsake him. He knew and believed his Father’s promise to deliver him. He could rest because while he did, nothing would ever escape the notice of his faithful Father, watching over all things at all times and weaving them into good for his people – yes, even the storms.

Nevertheless, Jesus used this opportunity to also remind his disciples of who he was and the authority he had over all of creation. “He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm” (v.39). Wow. Jesus’ commanding words control nature itself! When we consider that it was God’s powerful word that brought everything into existence at creation, we cannot help but draw the obvious conclusion here – the connection is even more powerful: God was right there in the boat with his disciples! The very author and designer of all of creation was himself present with the disciples, showcasing his absolute authority.

His rebuke of the wind and waves was not Jesus’ only rebuke, however. He then turned from the storm to his disciples. “He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’” (v.40). Even as we marvel at Jesus’ power over nature, his own display of divine might accentuates the absurdity of the disciples and their foolish doubts. Did they really doubt the One who just bid the storm to cease just like that? Did they really question his care for them? Did they really think he didn’t care? That One, who just shut down a storm with his voice? What a faint faith they had!

And… what a faint faith we have. All these years later and we have not only ample evidence in the Scriptures for us to learn from, but even our past personal experience to confirm that God does care. Yet still at times it is as if we have no faith at all. We resort to our default, doubt, even with so much evidence to the contrary. Not only should Jesus have slept out the storm and left the disciples in their doubt; he also ought to leave us swimming in our own doubts to let us see how that works out for us.

Jesus, though, has done far more for us since that storm at sea. By his crucifixion and resurrection, he has since shut up Satan’s accusing charges. He has shut down his power over us. He has shut up hell to those who cling to him. He has shut the door on death’s permanent separation. 

And he has calmed much more than a storm at sea; he has calmed the Father’s rage against sin and rebellion by his crucifixion. He brought peace to us because he was willing to be punished in our place. He opened access to heaven in all its holiness – and all this for those who have no right being there on their own! He does not just have power over nature, but over death itself! He makes the dead alive. He kills the deadly storm of death and only through Jesus, the sin-torn soul knows peace and forgiveness. 

Does he care about you? May we never doubt his care for us again. He doesn’t just serve us by removing the storms; he does better – he serves us through them. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Trust you in the Trials

Faithful Lord,
Your promise is so clear and so often repeated in the Bible that there is no question: you will never abandon me. No earthly friend or companion will ever come close to caring about me as much as you do. No one else will ever have my best interests in mind at all times the way that you do. 

But no sooner does some hardship or hurt strike in my life and the doubts start seeping in. The enemy presses hard to prompt me to see any level of suffering or inconvenience, whether slight or significant, as proof that you have ditched me and stopped having my back. His relentless efforts too often bear fruit and I buy the lies he sells me.

In your gracious mercy, forgive me. When such doubts arise, equip me to redirect my thoughts away from the lies and back to the truths of your Word, where my fears are put to rest and I am reassured by your promises. Allow me to trace the steps of trial and testing of so many believers in the Bible you have carried through again and again, always keeping your promises, and calm my troubled heart through their experiences as I marvel at the proof of your promises playing out.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.