Prayers for September 13 - 19

Signed, Sealed, and Delivered by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1)

Each day’s section includes a small section of the Book of Ephesians and a short prayer.  You are invited to read the scripture verses at least three times before moving onto the prayer.  Feel free to expand on the prayer with your own thoughts and requests.  Simply talk to God!

Monday, September 13

I, Paul, am under God's plan as an apostle, a special agent of Christ Jesus, writing to you faithful Christians in Ephesus.  I greet you with the grace and peace poured into our lives by God our Father and our Master, Jesus Christ.  Ephesians 1:1-2

Mighty God, inspire us to be your special agents in the world today.  Help us to greet people with unconditional mercy (grace) and a complete lack of anxiety (peace).  Amen.

Tuesday, September 14

How blessed is God!  And what a blessing he is!  He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him.  Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love.  Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!)  Ephesians 1:3-5

Thoughtful God, thank you for thinking about me before the world began and for adopting me as your child.  I want to be made whole.  Heal the suffering and long-held pain in my life so that your holiness can shine through me.  I hope you take great pleasure in what I do today.  Amen.

Wednesday, September 15

Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people--free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds.  And not just barely free, either.  Abundantly free!  He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making.  He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.  Ephesians 1:7-10

Gracious God, thank you for making me completely, absolutely, completely free from guilt, shame and the pain of feeling unloved.  Remind me today that your love for me is absolute and unending.  When I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders, remind me of the cross (AKA your long-range plan for everything).  Amen.

Thursday, September 16

It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for.  Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone. Ephesians 1:11-12

Jesus, you are my lord, savior and friend.  Thank you for having your eye on me everywhere and always.  Help me to live the glorious life you have designed for me.  I want to be a part of what you are doing in the world. Amen.

Friday, September 17

It's in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free--signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit.  This signet from God is the first installment on what's coming, a reminder that we'll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life.  Ephesians 1:13-14

Amazing God, you have branded me as a member of your own family.  Your Holy Spirit dwells in me and infuses me with energy, perspective and purpose.  Give me eyes that see beyond the challenges of this day so I can catch a glimpse of the unfiltered joy you’ve got planned for me.  Remind me that this life is only the title page of the great love story you are writing.  Amen.

Saturday, September 18

That's why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the Christians, I couldn't stop thanking God for you--every time I prayed, I'd think of you and give thanks.  But I do more than thank. I ask--ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory--to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for Christians, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him--endless energy, boundless strength!  Ephesians 1:15-19

Eternal God, thank you for the people in my life you have showed me that your love is real.  Help me to understand what you want me to be and do, both today and everyday.  Give me your endless energy and boundless strength.  Amen.

Sunday, September 19

All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever.  He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church.  The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.  Ephesians 1:20-23

Lord Jesus, you rule everything, from galaxies to governments.  Thank you for holding this world in your hands, even when things seem crazy and dark.  Thank you for drawing me into a community of faith and help me not to take this great gift for granted.  Help me to fill the world with your presence today.  Amen.


Ephesians passages taken from The Message (The Bible in Contemporary Language) by Eugene Peterson.