Daily Prayer for July 9
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Ephesians 3:14–17a, NIV Lord our God, you are our Father, and we human beings know that our innermost hearts belong to you. Hold us firmly through your Spirit, we pray, so that we do not live on the level of our lower natures but remain true to the calling you have given us, the high calling to what is eternal. May all our experiences work in us for good, bringing us the joyful certainty that you rule us with your Spirit, that you further the good everywhere in the world and make more and more people sensitive to what is good, right, and perfect. Amen. Recent articles on Plough Daring to Follow the Call E. Stanley Jones, Barbara Brown Taylor, Teresa of Ávila, Oscar Romero, Martin Luther King Jr., Eberhard Arnold, Meister Eckhart, Leonardo Boff, C. S. Lewis, Hermas, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer Insights on the Sermon on the Mount from a wealth of traditions. Read now What My First Psychiatric Patient Taught Me Abraham M. Nussbaum Sharon could hardly leave the house. She showed me the wonder and limits of therapy. Read now An Animated Film That Asks Questions Casey Kleczek Gints Zilbalodis’s film Flow is a work of art my young family could wrestle with as well as enjoy. Read now Desire, Use, Repeat James Mumford An addict looks for a way out. Read now A Disabled Savior Devan Stahl The wounds of a resurrected God help us live with ours. Read now
Daily Prayer for July 8
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:17–18, NIV Lord our God, our Father in heaven and on earth, we are thankful that you have a people to whom you say, “You are mine.” Grant that we too may belong to this people. Strengthen us in the faith that we belong to you, so that we can come to know your rule and your justice. Protect us on all the paths we follow during our time on earth. The times are evil, but come what may, every single one of us has in his heart the certainty, “We are yours.” You have long watched over us and kept us safe. Again and again we affirm, “We are yours, Lord our God, through Jesus Christ our Savior.” Amen. Recent articles on Plough What My First Psychiatric Patient Taught Me Abraham M. Nussbaum Sharon could hardly leave the house. She showed me the wonder and limits of therapy. Read now An Animated Film That Asks Questions Casey Kleczek Gints Zilbalodis’s film Flow is a work of art my young family could wrestle with as well as enjoy. Read now Desire, Use, Repeat James Mumford An addict looks for a way out. Read now A Disabled Savior Devan Stahl The wounds of a resurrected God help us live with ours. Read now What Families with Autistic Children Know Sam Tomlin For parents of neurodiverse children, church and school can be another hurdle. Read now
Daily Prayer for July 7
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23, NIV Lord our God, we thank you for all you have done for us, for all you are doing for us, for deliverance from need and death. We thank you for all the signs you give us that you hear our prayer when, without wavering or weakening, we set our hopes on you. We thank you that we can be without fear of sin and death, for you stand by us in everything. In spite of our imperfections you show us your goodness again and again. May the light in our hearts never be extinguished, the light that enables us to look into heaven and earth and see the good that is on its way to us today. May joy remain with us, and may we have the strength to be a community that follows the paths of life which bring praise and honor to you. Amen. Recent articles on Plough An Animated Film That Asks Questions Casey Kleczek Gints Zilbalodis’s film Flow is a work of art my young family could wrestle with as well as enjoy. Read now Desire, Use, Repeat James Mumford An addict looks for a way out. Read now A Disabled Savior Devan Stahl The wounds of a resurrected God help us live with ours. Read now What Families with Autistic Children Know Sam Tomlin For parents of neurodiverse children, church and school can be another hurdle. Read now Abraham’s Warring Children Kelsey Osgood After October 7, can a Muslim-Christian-Jewish center in Abu Dhabi make any difference? Read now
Daily Prayer for July 5
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Romans 8:22–24a, NIV Lord our God, we thank you for the great calling you have given us. We thank you that in all the evils of today’s world you give us the hope and faith that you are leading us to a goal that is good, and you make us free. You make your children free so that throughout humankind a new spirit may come, a new life and a new power to serve you in time and eternity. Praise to your name that we can always have hope; nothing can discourage us, but everything must work together for good in accordance with your great purpose. Grant that your compassion may come to all the world, to all peoples, whom you have looked upon with mercy in sending Jesus Christ as Savior. Amen. Recent articles on Plough A Disabled Savior Devan Stahl The wounds of a resurrected God help us live with ours. Read now What Families with Autistic Children Know Sam Tomlin For parents of neurodiverse children, church and school can be another hurdle. Read now Abraham’s Warring Children Kelsey Osgood After October 7, can a Muslim-Christian-Jewish center in Abu Dhabi make any difference? Read now Merelots: Armenia’s Day of the Dead Narine Abgaryan “What use do the departed have for liturgy?” an Armenian mother reflects on a visit to the grave of her stepson, in this short story. Read now The Exploitation of Immigrant Care Workers Hazel Thompson Hidden in plain sight, foreign health aides in UK care homes face exploitation. Read now
Daily Prayer for July 3
In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy – being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:4-6 Dear Father in heaven, we thank you for the work you are doing. We thank you for working through people of all kinds and of all vocations and through the many hearts that know your goodness. We thank you for the great work led by the Lord Jesus, who will overcome the world with patience and with gentleness. He will overcome the world, opening the door wide for all, including the poorest of the poor, to come to you, their Father in heaven. Grant that with the light we have been given we may remain firm and true. Do not let us come into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours forever. Amen. Recent articles on Plough Abraham’s Warring Children Kelsey Osgood After October 7, can a Muslim-Christian-Jewish center in Abu Dhabi make any difference? Read now Merelots: Armenia’s Day of the Dead Narine Abgaryan “What use do the departed have for liturgy?” an Armenian mother reflects on a visit to the grave of her stepson, in this short story. Read now The Exploitation of Immigrant Care Workers Hazel Thompson Hidden in plain sight, foreign health aides in UK care homes face exploitation. Read now Against Self-Optimization David Zahl The wellness industry sells you a version of yourself it can’t deliver. Hope lies elsewhere. Read now In Defense of Pint and Pipe Malcolm Guite Smoking and drinking carry known risks. Here’s why I haven’t given them up. Read now
Daily Prayer for July 2
I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. Proverbs 4:11–12, NIV Dear Father in heaven, you are our God. You rule and guide us, and our trust remains in you even when many needs pull at our hearts and try to draw us into their whirlpool. Protect us, we pray. May your divine hand govern us so that we remain aware of the calling we receive from you and always have a light shining into our lives to show us how to serve you. Let your power work wherever hearts respond to you on this earth, wherever the strength of Jesus Christ is revealed, so that people acknowledge his deeds to your honor. Be with the lowliest and least noticed of your children. Keep them in your hands and enable them to be fellow workers who persevere courageously and confidently until the time when you reveal yourself to all peoples on earth. Amen. Recent articles on Plough Merelots: Armenia’s Day of the Dead Narine Abgaryan “What use do the departed have for liturgy?” an Armenian mother reflects on a visit to the grave of her step-son, in this short story. Read now The Exploitation of Immigrant Care Workers Hazel Thompson Hidden in plain sight, foreign health aides in UK care homes face exploitation. Read now Against Self-Optimization David Zahl The wellness industry sells you a version of yourself it can’t deliver. Hope lies elsewhere. Read now In Defense of Pint and Pipe Malcolm Guite Smoking and drinking carry known risks. Here’s why I haven’t given them up. Read now In Pursuit of Homefulness John Swinton The biblical understanding of health is not biomedical. Read now
Daily Prayer for July 1
People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last. Luke 13:29–30, NIV Dear Father in heaven, Almighty God, grant that the nations come under your rule, under your judgment from morning to evening, from east to west, from north to south. For your will must be done, and your name must be honored among all nations. Yours alone is the kingdom; all kingdoms belong to you. Your heavenly kingdom must come so that at last we learn to be at peace and become your children, who submit to you. For your Christ shall carry out your loving, merciful, and perfect will throughout the world. We thank you for all the good you want to provide for us. May your angels watch over us this night. Be with us in all we do or leave undone. Help us with your strong hands, that we may rejoice at heart in all the good you give us. Amen. Recent articles on Plough The Exploitation of Immigrant Care Workers Hazel Thompson Hidden in plain sight, foreign health aides in UK care homes face exploitation. Read now Against Self-Optimization David Zahl The wellness industry sells you a version of yourself it can’t deliver. Hope lies elsewhere. Read now In Defense of Pint and Pipe Malcolm Guite Smoking and drinking carry known risks. Here’s why I haven’t given them up. Read now In Pursuit of Homefulness John Swinton The biblical understanding of health is not biomedical. Read now What Is Health? Peter Mommsen My grandfather’s best summer was the one he spent dying. Read now
Daily Prayer for June 30
At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.” Matthew 11:25, NIV Lord our God, we thank you for your Word, which is light and strength to us. We thank you for all you give us. We thank you that we may be counted among the simple-hearted, among the children. We do not want to be anything great in the world. We want only to be with you as your children, helpless little children, watched over by you, the Creator and Father of all. Grant us your blessing. Help us in all that is good and right, also in our daily work, so that we can be your children and do what you have commanded. May your name be honored at all times, your kingdom come, and your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us the wrong we have done as we forgive those who have wronged us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen. Recent articles on Plough In Defense of Pint and Pipe Malcolm Guite Smoking and drinking carry known risks. Here’s why I haven’t given them up. Read now In Pursuit of Homefulness John Swinton The biblical understanding of health is not biomedical. Read now What Is Health? Peter Mommsen My grandfather’s best summer was the one he spent dying. Read now The Myth of the Nature Cure Polly Atkin In the English Lake District I found companionship in nature, not a cure. Read now The Strange Love of a Strange God Esther Maria Magnis When my father got cancer, we prayed desperately. No answer came. Or did it? Read now
Daily Prayer for June 28
All of creation waits with eager longing for God to reveal his sons. For creation was condemned to lose its purpose, not of its own will, but because God willed it to be so. Yet there was the hope that creation itself would one day be set free from its slavery to decay and would share the glorious freedom of the children of God. Romans 8:19–21, TEV Lord God, we thank you for all you reveal in your creation so that our lives may be fruitful. Reveal your wisdom and strength among people everywhere so that death and destruction do not have their way, but your will, your love, your mercy shall prevail. Let our age learn that power belongs to you and not to men, and that you will at last fulfill all your promises of good. Your day of justice and holiness will break in, and all misery will be removed through your great mercy. Watch over us as you have done till this hour, and keep us safe during the night. Be present and carry out your will wherever there is misfortune. May your will be done on earth as in heaven. Amen. Recent articles on Plough In Pursuit of Homefulness John Swinton The biblical understanding of health is not biomedical. Read now What Is Health? Peter Mommsen My grandfather’s best summer was the one he spent dying. Read now The Myth of the Nature Cure Polly Atkin In the English Lake District I found companionship in nature, not a cure. Read now The Strange Love of a Strange God Esther Maria Magnis When my father got cancer, we prayed desperately. No answer came. Or did it? Read now Community of Sourdough Bakers Kendall Vanderslice Sourdough microbakeries are strengthening local neighborhood bonds one loaf at a time, though it’s not always as delightful as it looks on Instagram. Read now
Daily Prayer for June 25
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13, NIV Lord our God, grant us courageous hearts, we pray. Grant that we may always find our strength and support in you and may bear with joy whatever the present days bring us. No matter how much evil occurs, we know that your peace is already prepared. We await your peace, and we are allowed to believe that everything will turn out according to your will and according to the good you have prepared for your people on earth. For in faith your people overcome the world, and at last through their faith others too may receive something from you and may lift their eyes to you, the God of truth, of justice, of salvation, and of peace. Be with us every day, Lord God. Help us. Bless us, and bless all who try to bring help where it is needed. Let us praise your name forevermore! Amen. Recent articles on Plough The Strange Love of a Strange God Esther Maria Magnis When my father got cancer, we prayed desperately. No answer came. Or did it? Read now Community of Sourdough Bakers Kendall Vanderslice Sourdough microbakeries are strengthening local neighborhood bonds one loaf at a time, though it’s not always as delightful as it looks on Instagram. Read now Beholding the Ordinary Arthur Aghajanian By depicting quotidian scenes of workers, neighbors, and strangers at heroic scale, photorealism invites us to reconsider what’s worthy of attention. Read now Food Is Not Magic Garth Brown You may not be able to eat your way to immortality or manliness, but food is something we can make and enjoy together. Read now The Truth About Liars Adrienne von Speyr Wait, is that a mote, speck, splinter, or sawdust in your eye? A Swiss mystic learns to get past the obvious faults in others. Read now