A Refreshing Evening Prayer

I wrote a morning prayer a couple of years ago that continues to bless others. A reader recently asked if there's an evening prayer, so here it is.

Dear Lord, for as long as I can remember a day is only 24 hours, but this one felt longer than that. Weariness sets in and we wonder where you are, but I know that you hear me even before I choose to pray. My burdens are no secret. You hear the breath you put in my bones even when it’s shallow. I thank you that I’m known by you.

At the end of this day, I’m reassured that I can come boldly to your throne to find grace in my time of need (Hebrews 4:16). I can pray with assurance to you because you are a faithful God, regardless of the day I’ve had. At the end of this day Lord, I come to you knowing that you will hear and comfort me.

I know that in peace I will both lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety (Psalms 4:7-8). You are still God in the middle of mysterious things. The days transition by your power—you are the author of my life even when I’m not awake. Thank you for using these moments to remind me of your sovereignty.

The Difference Between Hope and Faith

When my children were younger, I delighted in preparing their favorite meal. Though they had differing palates, whenever I promised to make macaroni and cheese, there was an eagerness that permeated the air. This delicacy wasn’t from the box; each ingredient was assembled into a bubbly, delicious covered dish. They couldn’t wait to sit down for dinner.

Looking forward to their favorite meal was hope. Simultaneously, because my children trusted me, they believed that macaroni and cheese would be ready at dinner time--this was faith.

Hope, in its simplest form, is defined as a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. Faith is defined as complete trust or confidence in someone or something. The Hebrew word for hope, tiqvah, means something we hold onto. The Greek word for faith is pistis, which connotes faithfulness, conviction, and commitment, a reliance on God. Based on the definitions alone, hope and faith are often intertwined; hope is the soil in which we exercise our faith.

10 Most Popular Christian Hymns (and Why We Love Them)

I love hymns. The lyrics usually minister to my soul, the melodies are moving, and the repetition – verse chorus, verse chorus, verse, chorus or a slight variation of this theme are soothing. There’s a solemnity and dedication that underlies most hymns that makes me pause as they usually bring me to a place of introspection and reflection on life and what it means to serve a big God no matter what life throws at me. In this day and age, you might be made to feel that hymns are for old folks, but that’s not true.