Daily Prayer for July 13
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2, NIV Lord our mighty God, look upon us in our poverty, for you call us your children and give us of your Spirit. From your fullness we constantly need to receive strength for the struggle meant for us in life. Grant that light may come wherever darkness still reigns, especially where it is so black that we do not know which way to turn. Hear our prayer for all people, and let your justice and your truth alone be victorious. Let all people receive what you have promised them, and let them realize that no matter what happens, they remain your children. Amen. Recent articles on Plough Why Grow Tomatoes Laura Trimble Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s tomato plot. Read now A Wooden Headstone Greg Logan An unusual memorial can help us reflect on our impermanence. Read now Why We Hope Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt The future we long for is already here. Read now Pillars of Our Communities Terence Sweeney In my parish, Fran was one of those unheralded saints who quietly and determinedly make the world better. Who will step up? Read now Can Social Media Be Tamed? Joshua Sander Tobias Rose-Stockwell’s Outrage Machine details how algorithms promote fear and outrage. Can the monster be tamed? Read now
Daily Prayer for July 6
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. Romans 8:14–15a, NIV Dear Father in heaven, open our hearts to the wonder of being able to call you Father, the wonder of being united with you. You are the source of all life and strength. In you is redemption, and we need to be redeemed before we can live rightly. Take from us the pressures forced on us by the flood of events. Make us completely free as people led by your hand, people who may be joyful because everything will be overcome through the power you grant us in Jesus Christ. Protect us from fear and from all evil. Show more and more clearly your good and wonderful goal for all people on earth, so that in expectation they may find happiness even in all the stress of today. Amen. Recent articles on Plough How to Not Live a Boring Life Henri J. M. Nouwen Without the story that guides all other stories, the many events of each day remain a series of random incidents and accidents. Read now Poem: “A Lindisfarne Cross” Michael Manning It begins with what is broken, cast off, abandoned… Read now Disciplines for Freedom Bill Gardner A doctor learning how to die of cancer finds guides in Simone Weil, Iris Murdoch, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Pedro Arrupe. Read now The Lion Tamer’s Son Eloise Jarvis McGraw Joe Lang finds himself an orphan in the opening chapter of the classic children’s novel Sawdust in His Shoes. Read now Simple Steps to Combat Smartphone Addiction Tara Isabella Burton Finding technology and habits that make life better, not worse. Read now
Daily Prayer for July 4
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:31–32, NIV Lord our God, our Father in heaven and on earth, we ask you to bless us, your children, for we want to be your children and nothing else. We want to have our joy and delight in knowing that we belong to you, the almighty God, who began and who will complete redemption on earth through Jesus Christ, our Savior. Bless your Word in us. Give us courage in suffering and distress, for we are allowed to serve you in all circumstances, even when we find it bitterly hard. Your name shall be honored in us, your kingdom shall come. As surely as the earth endures, everything shall happen in accordance with your will, on earth as in heaven. Amen. Recent articles on Plough Disciplines for Freedom Bill Gardner A doctor learning how to die of cancer finds guides in Simone Weil, Iris Murdoch, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Pedro Arrupe. Read now The Lion Tamer’s Son Eloise Jarvis McGraw Joe Lang finds himself an orphan in the opening chapter of the classic children’s novel Sawdust in His Shoes. Read now Simple Steps to Combat Smartphone Addiction Tara Isabella Burton Finding technology and habits that make life better, not worse. Read now Taking a Tech Sabbath Elizabeth Oldfield Weekend digital detoxes, even half-arsed ones like mine, are a modern iteration of one of the oldest ideas in civilization – and an act of resistance. Read now Is Your Life Worth More than a Pig’s? Joshua L. Sohn Supporting animal welfare is one of the best ways to demonstrate human exceptionalism. Read now
Daily Prayer for June 27
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15–16, NIV Lord God, help us to be holy as you are holy, and free us from all the earthly things that try to torment us. Grant us your Spirit so that we do what is right. May we always hold your hand confidently. Protect your children everywhere on earth, and help them do what is right even if the whole world does what is wrong. Help us, so that all we do becomes holy and pleasing in your sight. Let your grace grow among us and among the nations, and let your hand be strong to bring in your day, your day when everything is made new. May your name be kept holy, your kingdom come, and your will be done on earth as in heaven. Amen. Recent articles on Plough Will There Be an AI Apocalypse? Peter Berkman Marshall McLuhan and Romano Guardini say it’s already here. Read now Charles Dickens Writes to His Son Charles Dickens Dust off some 150-year-old advice for teens leaving home from the author of Great Expectations. Read now Taming Tech in Community Andrew Zimmerman How the Bruderhof community tries to be intentional about personal technology. Read now The Kids Aren’t Alright Abraham M. Nussbaum A psychiatrist reviews Bad Therapy by Abigail Shrier and The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt. Read now It’s Getting Harder to Die Lydia S. Dugdale When medical tech can keep us alive, families face tough choices. Read now
Daily Prayer for June 26
We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:3, NIV O Lord our God, grant that we may have fellowship with you every day. May our hearts be ready to fulfill your commandments and to do what you want in all things. Hear our prayer. Hear and answer when we pray for the nations, for the whole world, and let your holy will be done. Remember all who are in distress, and lead them on the right way. May we go with joyful hearts wherever you lead us. Your name will be our help, your glory will come, and the world will be full of your love, your power, and your splendor. Amen. Recent articles on Plough Charles Dickens Writes to His Son Charles Dickens Dust off some 150-year-old advice for teens leaving home from the author of Great Expectations. Read now Taming Tech in Community Andrew Zimmerman How the Bruderhof community tries to be intentional about personal technology. Read now The Kids Aren’t Alright Abraham M. Nussbaum A psychiatrist reviews Bad Therapy by Abigail Shrier and The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt. Read now It’s Getting Harder to Die Lydia S. Dugdale When medical tech can keep us alive, families face tough choices. Read now The Body of Believers Ulrich Stadler An early Anabaptist reflects on Paul’s metaphor of the church as the body of Christ. Read now
Daily Prayer for June 18
So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. He has saved us and called us to a holy life – not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time. 2 Timothy 1:8–9, NIV Lord our God, radiant, light giving, and almighty God through all the ages, be with us in our time too. Strengthen the grace we have received from Jesus Christ, and let it be known over all the world so that your name may be honored everywhere. Bless us, we pray, and let your blessing spread from us to others, to the glory of your name. Grant that the good may be strengthened in us, the good you have let us hear about for so many years. May everything that belongs to your Word come alive in us and in the world. May your blessing be on our actions, for we want to remain under your blessing, to the glory of your righteousness and truth. Amen. Recent articles on Plough Send Us Your Surplus Matthew Loftus South Sudan’s kids thank you for that shipment of hip-joint ball bearings. Read now Practicing Christianity Andrew Prevot In Christianity as a Way of Life, Kevin W. Hector says faith is about what we do, not just what we believe. Read now The Case for Not Sanitizing Fairy Tales Haley Stewart Fairy tales are the best way for children to learn that the world contains evil, violence, and danger. Read now A Father’s Final Gift Klaus Bonhoeffer Days before his execution by the Nazis, Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s brother sent his children this letter. Read now The Mysterious Barricades between Fathers and Sons Joel Clarkson Filmmaker Terrence Malick finds a musical expression of the father-son dynamic in François Couperin’s rondeau “Les Barricades Mystérieuses.” Read now
Daily Prayer for June 10
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us – so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. Psalm 67:1–2, NIV Lord, Almighty God, you are our Father and we are your children, who want to live for you through Jesus Christ our Lord. Strengthen and renew our hearts. When discouragement and fear try to mislead us, may your Holy Spirit help us again and again to hold fast, for no matter what difficulties arise, your will is being done and your will is good. Your name will be honored. Your kingdom will come for all nations. Your reign will come over all peoples, for they are all yours and must acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the Lord, to your honor, O Father. Amen. Recent articles on Plough A Medievalist Looks for the Image of Christ Marianne Wright In Jesus through Medieval Eyes, Grace Hamman finds the Lord portrayed as a knight, a mother, a judge, and a lover. Read now Who Needs a Car? Addison Del Mastro When luxuries become necessities, it’s too late to turn back. Read now Masters of Our Tools E. F. Schumacher, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Jean-Pierre Dupuy and Hannah Arendt Four writers reflect on the purpose and power of technology. Read now A Church in Ukraine Spreads Hope in Wartime Sasha Riabyi and Danny Burrows A Christian community cares for its children and neighbors. Read now Tech Cities of the Bible Alastair Roberts Our struggle with technology starts in Genesis. Read now
Daily Prayer for June 1
For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. John 6:33, NIV Dear Father in heaven, in your Word we trust, in your Word of eternal life, given us in Jesus Christ our Savior. We build on this Word of life in these days when it seems that everything is losing strength and value, and yet there is so much longing in people’s hearts. You will not let our hope be disappointed. What you have spoken must be fulfilled. What is promised in Jesus Christ must come into being, not only for a few but for the whole world, for which he died and was raised from the dead. Be with us. Keep us so fully alive that our lives reflect all the goodness we are allowed to experience and we overcome all the evil which tries to attack us. We thank you for calling us to life and for renewing us again and again. May your name be praised among us forever. Amen. Recent articles on Plough How God Sees Us Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt We must learn to see the divine worth in everyone regardless of how they treat us. Read now Covering the Cover: The Good of Tech Rosalind Stevenson This issue’s cover shows humans who are interacting with technology, rather than being enslaved by it. Read now Humans Are Magnificent Johannes Hartl A philosopher defends humanity against its detractors. Read now Blessed Are the Meek John Chrysostom, Elisabeth Elliot, Richard Rohr, and Teresa of Ávila The world cannot fathom strength proceeding from weakness or power from meekness. Read now In Pursuit of Pure Northernness Daniel Whyte IV Iceland’s vastness, perilousness, and barrenness haunt me. I wasn’t searching for God on that poetic island, but I found him. Read now
Daily Prayer for May 28
You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 1 Thessalonians 5:5–6, NIV Dear Father in heaven, we thank you that we may be your children. We thank you that through your Spirit our hearts may know that we are your children. Even when everything around us becomes difficult and we are hemmed in by darkness, we remain your children. Even when we often do not see how we are to go on and everything seems to be taken from us, we remain your children. Even when sin and death surround us and accuse us of being in the wrong, we still remain your children. As your children we entrust ourselves to your hands. In our whole life, in all our work and activity, we dwell in what has come from you, and we rejoice in Christ our Savior. Amen. Recent articles on Plough In Pursuit of Pure Northernness Daniel Whyte IV Iceland’s vastness, perilousness, and barrenness haunt me. I wasn’t searching for God on that poetic island, but I found him. Read now Salvaging Beauty from the Ruins Elizabeth Genovise Danielle Chapman’s Holler tells a story that in a way belongs to all of us. Read now A World Full of Signs Susannah Black Roberts Maximus the Confessor saw the natural world as charged with symbolic meaning. Read now Pray for Those Annoying People William Law It’s hard to despise someone after interceding for them in prayer. Read now Pray Like a Cicada Matthew J. Milliner This summer trillions of cicadas are serenading parts of the American Midwest. What can we learn from them? Read now
Daily Prayer for May 27
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14, RSV Lord our God, our Father in heaven, we thank you for letting us receive so much that is good in all circumstances on earth. We thank you that we can have joy in life in spite of our shortcomings, mistakes, and worries. You bless us with heavenly gifts, so that rejoicing, we can walk on earth as if in heaven. Keep the gifts of your Spirit alive in us. Keep alive in us everything that Jesus Christ was, everything he is, and everything he will be on earth for all people. Amen. Recent articles on Plough Salvaging Beauty from the Ruins Elizabeth Genovise Danielle Chapman’s Holler tells a story that in a way belongs to all of us. Read now A World Full of Signs Susannah Black Roberts Maximus the Confessor saw the natural world as charged with symbolic meaning. Read now Pray for Those Annoying People William Law It’s hard to despise someone after interceding for them in prayer. Read now Pray Like a Cicada Matthew J. Milliner This summer trillions of cicadas are serenading parts of the American Midwest. What can we learn from them? Read now Conservation Is for Conservatives John Murdock Francis Schaeffer wouldn’t recognize the religious right he helped create, not least when it comes to environmentalism. Read now