With Us and For Us

Scotty Smith: A Prayer in Praise of God’s Irrepressible Generosity

     May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus. Romans 15:5
     May the God of hope fill you with all you and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
     The God of peace be with you all. Amen. Romans 15:33

     Gracious Father, your Word never ceases to astonish, nourish, and cause our hearts to flourish. The more we marinate and mediate on the Scriptures, the more we find your heart to be a bottomless ocean of mercy and grace. You are much more loving, kind and generous than our dull hearts usually grasp. In this one chapter alone (Romans 15), out of nearly 1200 in the Bible, you come to us this very day as…
     The God who gives endurance and encouragement: O Father, you know how much we need both of these grace-gifts. Many of us are physically pooped, mentally taxed and emotionally spent. Why can’t crises and crucibles be spread out a little more evenly in life? Please grant us strength, Father, and encourage our tired hearts. Give us fresh gospel-bread that we might feast, then feed the many needy people you have woven into our lives.
     The God of hope: It’s an increasingly complex world, Father. Life feels more uncertain and fragile than ever. Fill our hearts with an undistilled vision of your finished story. Quicken our senses with the jaw-dropping sights and soul-stirring sounds of the new heaven and new earth; the aromatic smells of that Garden City; the unimaginable beauty of this world made new by Jesus. May this living and sure hope give us courage to serve you sacrificially and joyfully, through the power of the Holy Spirit. We want to overflow with hope, not just be slow drips.
     The God of peace. Father, you are the consummate peace-maker—reconciling enemies and restoring broken things. We only have peace with you because you have made your peace with us through the work of Jesus. May this profound assurance free us today to live as conduits of your shalom-making love and power. To know that you are with us and for us is all we really need today, Father. So very Amen, we pray, in Jesus’ matchless and merciful name.