Wednesday - Don't Lose Heart (Hope)
Welcome to Daily Prayer. This week, our prayers focus on hope. Because of who God is and because He has promised to never leave us, our hope has a secure foundation. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit, you may abound in hope." (Romans 15:13).
As we begin our time together, let's quiet our hearts and minds before the Lord.
Father, today we give everyone and everything to You.
A Scripture reading from Revelation 21:3–5:
"Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore. And He who was seated on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.'"
A word of encouragement:
Scripture promises a new heaven and a new earth—a restored creation filled with the presence of God. One day, we will see Jesus. Our bodies will be made whole. Death, disease, separation, crying, and pain will be gone. We will worship and serve and create, celebrate and enjoy God without sin interfering. Christian hope gives us something glorious to anticipate. Hebrews tells us that Jesus endured the cross because of the joy that was set before Him. He looked beyond the suffering and saw what His sacrifice would accomplish. Our present world is broken, but it is not permanent. A new creation is coming. Pain will not last forever, and death will not have the final word.
A prayer of thanksgiving:
Father, thank You that this broken world is not the end of the story. Thank You that suffering is temporary and a new creation is coming. Thank You for the promise that You will dwell with Your people and personally wipe every tear from our eyes. Thank You that disease, disability, addiction, violence, loneliness, and grief will not follow us into eternity. Thank You that those who belong to Christ will receive resurrected bodies and live forever in Your presence. When this life feels heavy, help me remember the future You have prepared. I praise You because the best part of my story is still ahead.
A prayer of hope:
Jesus, fill my imagination with the hope of eternity. Help me look forward to seeing Your face, hearing Your voice, and experiencing Your presence without distraction or distance. Help me anticipate a restored creation in which everything damaged by sin has been made new. When I grieve those I have lost, remind me that separation is not permanent in Christ. When I fear my own death, remind me that You have already walked through the grave and opened the way to life. Let the joy set before me become greater than the fear within me.
A prayer of petition:
Father, teach me to live today in the light of eternity. Show me where I have invested too much energy in things that will not last. Reorder my priorities: my schedule, my spending, my ambitions. Help me to value people more than possessions and faithfulness more than recognition. Give me courage to share the Gospel, to reconcile damaged relationships, serve those in need, and use my resources for Your kingdom. Do not allow temporary frustrations to consume eternal energy. Give me wisdom to recognize what matters forever and the discipline to build my life around it.
A closing prayer:
During these last few moments, prayerfully imagine the promises of Revelation 21. Picture a world without funerals, hospitals, addiction, betrayal, loneliness, or pain. Picture restored bodies, healed relationships, unbroken worship, and the face of Jesus. Meditate on the world that awaits us until you sense joy and hope returning to your heart.
*Prayers by Kate and Drew Krenkle. Written by Brad Bowen