Daily Prayer for April 16

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” John 14:6-7, NIV Lord our God, we come seeking to find community with you and ask you to keep us in your truth throughout all that occupies us in our daily lives. Keep us from growing confused about truths we have already found through the witness of your Spirit in our hearts. Keep us in your truth so that we can hold firmly to our course on earth under the many hardships and burdens that try to drag us down. Help us to remain steady and to find the path that goes straight ahead, leading us on and on to your final goal. Amen.   Recent articles on Plough PloughCast 81: Can Metaphors Help Us Live Well? Joy Marie Clarkson and Susannah Black Roberts Joy Marie Clarkson discusses her new book, and the importance of metaphor. Read now A Debut Novel Revisits Ukraine’s Past Nadya Williams Sasha Vasilyuk’s Your Presence Is Mandatory calls us to honesty and openness with ourselves and our loved ones. Read now Can Masculinity Be Good? Samuel Helyar Or is it a problem to be eradicated? Read now The Desert Fathers on Freedom from Worry What did the Desert Fathers have to say about wellbeing and happiness? Read now Lambing Season Norann Voll I learned some of life’s most important lessons from my father while caring for sheep. Read now

Daily Prayer for April 15

But I trust in you, Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me. Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love. Psalm 31:14–16, NIV Dear Father in heaven, we turn to you. Hear our longing, hear our hopes, hear our faith! Our future lies in your hands. Free each heart from discouragement and sadness over the many evils of the world. Make us free from earthly things, free yet bound in spirit with you, O God. Help us on our pilgrimage toward eternity. As we walk with you, fill us with hope that the whole world will see the light, for in your light alone can we find fullness of life. Protect us and bless us through your Spirit. Amen.   Recent articles on Plough A Debut Novel Revisits Ukraine’s Past Nadya Williams Sasha Vasilyuk’s Your Presence Is Mandatory calls us to honesty and openness with ourselves and our loved ones. Read now Can Masculinity Be Good? Samuel Helyar Or is it a problem to be eradicated? Read now The Desert Fathers on Freedom from Worry What did the Desert Fathers have to say about wellbeing and happiness? Read now Lambing Season Norann Voll I learned some of life’s most important lessons from my father while caring for sheep. Read now The Plants Can Talk William Thomas Okie The flowers have a language. Are we listening? Read now

Daily Prayer for April 14

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25–26, NIV Dear Father in heaven, to you we entrust everything, for you have given us life and will call us to resurrection. You will help your children, your people, to reach what you have called them to. Protect your church on earth. Let her soon see your glory. Let her see Jesus Christ intervening in people’s lives and destinies until, shaken and trembling, they have to recognize that they should love and honor Jesus alone, to your honor, O Father in heaven. We thank you for all you have given us in your Word, which enables us to become your children and to find your way for us on earth. Bless us and give us the Holy Spirit. Protect us this night. Protect us so that nothing evil can harm us. Amen.   Recent articles on Plough The Desert Fathers on Freedom from Worry What did the Desert Fathers have to say about wellbeing and happiness? Read now Lambing Season Norann Voll I learned some of life’s most important lessons from my father while caring for sheep. Read now The Plants Can Talk William Thomas Okie The flowers have a language. Are we listening? Read now How Far Does Forgiveness Reach? Denise Uwimana Emmanuel and Cancilde, neighbors on opposite sides of the Rwandan genocide, tell their story. Read now Fred and the Convict Dan Grote There’s a certain something in the air at USP Canaan this morning. Read now

Daily Prayer for April 13

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. Psalm 143:10, NIV Lord our God, O great and almighty One, whose Spirit fills heaven and earth! We thank you that you are our Father and that in you we have a refuge wherever we must go as we serve you on earth. We thank you that your life can be revealed in us and can flow through us so that the world may be blest by you, our loving and caring Father. Protect us and strengthen us in times of trouble and sorrow. When we travel on new paths, give us your Spirit to show us the way, that everything may lead to the good and to your honor. Father, through your Spirit unite us in the unshakable hope that your will shall at last be done on earth as in heaven. Grant that we may rejoice in the certainty that whatever happens, our paths are made level and firm by your love and your faithfulness. Amen.   Recent articles on Plough The Desert Fathers on Freedom from Worry What did the Desert Fathers have to say about wellbeing and happiness? Read now Lambing Season Norann Voll I learned some of life’s most important lessons from my father while caring for sheep. Read now The Plants Can Talk William Thomas Okie The flowers have a language. Are we listening? Read now How Far Does Forgiveness Reach? Denise Uwimana Emmanuel and Cancilde, neighbors on opposite sides of the Rwandan genocide, tell their story. Read now Fred and the Convict Dan Grote There’s a certain something in the air at USP Canaan this morning. Read now

Daily Prayer for April 12

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Philippians 3:20-21, NIV Lord our God, draw us to yourself. Draw us into the quiet that you give, where something can happen to us and to our hearts. Help us to discern your kingdom surrounding us and in our spirits to live in this kingdom. Then our life will be as if in heaven, where we need not worry or torment ourselves, where your power is everything to us, penetrating our earthly life, which so often weighs us down. We thank you that you have made a way of strength, full of power to hold us firmly, so that even when we stumble, we cannot be turned from the goal. We thank you for all the good that comes from you, which we cannot see in earthly things but which can invade our hearts with such mighty and uplifting power. Amen.   Recent articles on Plough Lambing Season Norann Voll I learned some of life’s most important lessons from my father while caring for sheep. Read now The Plants Can Talk William Thomas Okie The flowers have a language. Are we listening? Read now How Far Does Forgiveness Reach? Denise Uwimana Emmanuel and Cancilde, neighbors on opposite sides of the Rwandan genocide, tell their story. Read now Fred and the Convict Dan Grote There’s a certain something in the air at USP Canaan this morning. Read now Book Tour: Flights of Fact or Fiction Phil Christman What’s the actual deal with UFOs and mystics who flew? Read now

Daily Prayer for April 11

Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. John 12:26, NIV Dear Father in heaven, we thank you for this day and for the protection you have given us. Grant that we may find our joy in your grace and in your love. Help us to become truer followers of Jesus, who came in your love. Be merciful to us and help all those who belong to you. You know them all and the thoughts of their hearts. You know their struggle on earth and the temptations that surround them. Help each one, also those who are still far away from you. Give them hearts open to your Word and to all you have promised. We entrust ourselves to your care this night. Help us and bless us. May your will be done in all things, also in the midst of all the sin and misery in the world. May your will be done on earth as in heaven, and may your kingdom come. Amen.   Recent articles on Plough The Plants Can Talk William Thomas Okie The flowers have a language. Are we listening? Read now How Far Does Forgiveness Reach? Denise Uwimana Emmanuel and Cancilde, neighbors on opposite sides of the Rwandan genocide, tell their story. Read now Fred and the Convict Dan Grote There’s a certain something in the air at USP Canaan this morning. Read now Book Tour: Flights of Fact or Fiction Phil Christman What’s the actual deal with UFOs and mystics who flew? Read now Why I Went Cold Turkey on Political Theology Alastair Roberts Reading the Gospels out of delight in them, rather than as fodder for political argument, was like breathing fresh air. Read now

Daily Prayer for April 10

For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. Romans 14:7-9, NIV Lord God, unite us with Jesus Christ, the risen and living One. Unite us so that our lives are completely submerged in your will through Jesus Christ. Tear us loose from all that tries to bind us to earth. Make us free people who always lift their heads and look up because their redemption is approaching. Almighty God, we trust in you, however difficult the times may be. Remember all peoples, for it is your will to gather them into your kingdom. You, O God, are our refuge and our help. In you we trust until the end. Amen.   Recent articles on Plough Fred and the Convict Dan Grote There’s a certain something in the air at USP Canaan this morning. Read now Book Tour: Flights of Fact or Fiction Phil Christman What’s the actual deal with UFOs and mystics who flew? Read now Why I Went Cold Turkey on Political Theology Alastair Roberts Reading the Gospels out of delight in them, rather than as fodder for political argument, was like breathing fresh air. Read now Fidelity in Little Things François Fénelon True love to God thinks nothing small. It acts with simplicity. Read now Year of Wonder Paul J. Pastor Two poems listen keenly to the language of nature’s seasons. Read now

Daily Prayer for April 8

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20, NIV Lord our God, we thank you for revealing your rulership, which is for the good of each of us. Each one of us will become what we ought to be when our faith is united with your divine power. Protect this faith in us through every temptation and through all we have yet to endure in this earthly life. Free us again and again for one thing alone, that your kingdom may come into being within us and around us, to the praise and glory of the everlasting truth you have given us in Jesus Christ. Amen.   Recent articles on Plough Book Tour: Flights of Fact or Fiction Phil Christman What’s the actual deal with UFOs and mystics who flew? Read now Why I Went Cold Turkey on Political Theology Alastair Roberts Reading the Gospels out of delight in them, rather than as fodder for political argument, was like breathing fresh air. Read now Fidelity in Little Things François Fénelon True love to God thinks nothing small. It acts with simplicity. Read now Year of Wonder Paul J. Pastor Two poems listen keenly to the language of nature’s seasons. Read now Experiencing Bach Zito Madu I had little appreciation for classical music until 2022, when a series of Bach performances changed the course of my life. Read now

Daily Prayer for April 7

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. John 14:16–17, NIV Lord our God and our Father, we thank you for giving us the Holy Spirit, who binds us to you. Give us continually afresh something of this Spirit so that we can go forward with light shining on the paths we must follow on earth. Grant us your Spirit, grant that light may break into our whole life and we can rejoice because we experience so much of what you are doing. For through the power of your Spirit you can help us toward your future and all that is to come, that we may live not only in time but in eternity. Amen.   Recent articles on Plough Why I Went Cold Turkey on Political Theology Alastair Roberts Reading the Gospels out of delight in them, rather than as fodder for political argument, was like breathing fresh air. Read now Fidelity in Little Things François Fénelon True love to God thinks nothing small. It acts with simplicity. Read now Year of Wonder Paul J. Pastor Two poems listen keenly to the language of nature’s seasons. Read now Experiencing Bach Zito Madu I had little appreciation for classical music until 2022, when a series of Bach performances changed the course of my life. Read now Gripped by the Infinite Annemarie Wächter How did a young woman who once rejected all claims of absolute truth find her way to faith and a meaningful vocation? Read now

Daily Prayer for April 6

For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. l Corinthians 2:2, RSV Lord our God, Father of us all, bless our community in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ. May your Spirit carry out what we are powerless to do, so that we experience strength and joy, something from eternity, and can face life with all its evil, pain, and suffering. For you have drawn us to yourself, and in spirit, soul, and body we belong to another world, higher than this earthly and passing one. We want to remain true to this higher world, that your praise may come from one heart and from one voice, that the name of Jesus Christ may shine in us and show us the way to all that is true and eternal. Amen.   Recent articles on Plough Fidelity in Little Things François Fénelon True love to God thinks nothing small. It acts with simplicity. Read now Year of Wonder Paul J. Pastor Two poems listen keenly to the language of nature’s seasons. Read now Experiencing Bach Zito Madu I had little appreciation for classical music until 2022, when a series of Bach performances changed the course of my life. Read now Gripped by the Infinite Annemarie Wächter How did a young woman who once rejected all claims of absolute truth find her way to faith and a meaningful vocation? Read now The PloughCast 80: The Technology of Middle-Earth Sebastian Milbank, Matthew Scarince and Susannah Black Roberts Matthew Scarince and Sebastian Milbank discuss Tolkien and Technology. Read now