60 Days of Prayer April/May 2022

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. JOHN 10:10 (ESV) WALKING OUR DOG, I see that the daffodils that I planted last year are blooming! In the fall, I had found a mesh bag of bulbs in the mudroom tucked behind some gardening tools. I had no memory of buying them, no idea how old they were, and I planted them on a whim, not expecting them to grow. And here they are, the bright yellow and white buds opening in the sun, flourishing, alive and well. Planting crocus, daffodils and hyacinth bulbs for spring bloom is an act of faith. Faith in new beginnings, faith that we’ll make it through the hard times, faith that life will bloom again. As we prepare to celebrate Easter,…

God, give us eyes to see the beauty of the Spring,And to behold Your majesty in every living thingAnd may we see in lacy leaves and every budding flowerThe Hand that rules the universe with gentleness and powerAnd may this Easter grandeur that Spring lavishly impartsAwaken faded flowers of faith lying dormant in our hearts,And give us ears to hear, dear God, the Springtime song of birdsWith messages more meaningful than man’s often empty wordsTelling harried human beings who are lost in dark despairBe like us and do not worry for God has you in His care.…

Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again. 1 KINGS 18:37 (NIV) WHEN ELIJAH WAS depressed and afraid, ready to give up, God’s gentle whisper encouraged him to keep going. “What are you doing here, Elijah?” God asked. Sometimes God gives us His wisdom by asking the right question, by leading us to find the answer we need. One and only God, in Your presence I find wisdom. I hear Your whispers.…

But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. ROMANS 8:25 (NIV) DO YOU WAIT hopefully? The pauses in life—the waiting periods—can be grueling and difficult. But you can learn to wait with hope, to wait with your faith firmly rooted in God’s promises. By developing a strong prayer life, you begin to recognize that life’s low points serve an important purpose: The waiting strengthens your relationship with God. God of hope, help me to be patient. Stretch my faith as I wait.…

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. PHILIPPIANS 3:13–14 (NIV) DO YOU LIVE in the present? God does not want you to spend your energy focusing on the past. He invites you to embrace the gift of the present moment. Ask Him to be part of your day, to guide you where you should go, to press ahead and live your best life. Lord, what do You want me to do right now?…

Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. PSALM 37:37 (KJV) HAVE YOU BEEN nudged to do something but are concerned that your effort won’t turn out to be perfect? Do you look for perfection in your job, your home, your children, your actions? While God’s love is perfect, He does not expect you to live flawlessly. So follow our Heavenly Father’s example and strive to emulate His perfect love instead. Loving Father, help me to be patient and kind, to lift someone’s burdens and make their lives better.…