Prayer Ministry

Daily Prayer Ventures

February 2025

 1  World Interfaith Harmony Week (U.N.)  Ask the Spirit to help congregations create opportunities for dialogue and learning with people whose religious beliefs and traditions are different from our own, for the sake of peace, harmony, cooperation and mutual understanding.

2 The word of God brings joy and comfort to us yet is sometimes difficult to hear. Pray that we will reflect on how God’s word strikes us, especially when it challenges what is safe, familiar and comfortable in our lives.

3 Ask God to help us move beyond our apprehensions, anger and entrenched beliefs so that we might confess and address deeply rooted aspects of racism that poison relationships, workplaces, society and the church. Pray for the Spirit to remind us that we are children of God who live in grace and are called to love, respect and serve one another — complexities, differences and all.

4 Among all our gifts and abilities, the most important is love for God and our neighbors — family, strangers and siblings in Christ alike. Praise God for teaching us what love entails through the selfless, unreserved and undeserved love of Jesus Christ for humankind.

5 Pray for Federal Chaplaincy Ministries of the ELCA, which seeks, supports, nurtures and sends pastors and seminary students to serve as federal chaplains and chaplain candidates for the U.S. military, Veterans Affairs hospitals and federal correctional institutions. Give thanks for chaplains and the gifts that the Spirit nurtures within them as they serve in unique contexts.

6 Lift up prayers and songs of praise to God for being the bright light in the world that illuminates the one true and enduring source of hope, guidance and eternal life — Jesus Christ.

7 Use the words of Psalm 71:3 in your prayer to God today: “Be to me a rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.”

8 Pray for our neighbors and siblings in Christ who labor in one or more jobs to meet basic daily needs for themselves and their families. Ask God to strengthen and sustain their spiritual and physical strength and to help us be supportive, caring and generous neighbors.

9 Ask God to help us be attentive and responsive to how God speaks to us through Scripture, the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, the work of the Spirit and the encouragement and admonition offered by our siblings in Christ.

10 Give thanks for the ELCA’s commitment to accompany and work with interreligious partners, including the Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign, an initiative that connects, equips and mobilizes leaders and members of faith communities to address anti-Muslim discrimination and violence, foster greater understanding and shift attitudes about Islam and Muslims in our country.

11 What tasks feel overwhelming to you right now? Ask God to renew your spirit for undertaking those things that are difficult to work through and accomplish.

12 Remember in prayer our ministries in nine African countries. Pray for ELCA Global Mission personnel, International Women Leaders and Young Adults in Global Mission who work alongside companion churches to help spread the gospel, equip leaders, grow the church and respond to community needs.

13 We are recipients and beneficiaries of the good news of Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and imperfections and defied the finality of death so that we could live with newfound freedom in this world, and forever in the kingdom of God.

14 Give thanks to God for the leaders of our church who respond to God’s call by serving as ministers of Word and Sacrament and ministers of Word and Service. Ask the Spirit to sustain their faith, inspire their joy in ministry and equip them with gifts and skills for serving in diverse and challenging contexts.

15 Pray for peace, healing and justice, especially in the critical contexts of Ukraine, Russia, Haiti, the Middle East, troubled regions of Africa and wherever conflict and war exist in the world.

16 Remember in prayer those impacted by the wildfires in Southern California and by severe winter weather, and those involved in long-term recovery from disasters. Give thanks for Lutheran Disaster Response and for synods and congregations that provide financial support, resources, volunteers and encouragement.

17 Pray for the 300 health and human service organizations that form the alliance of Lutheran Services in America and serve more than 6 million people every year in the United States and the Caribbean. Pray that our work together through these organizations will provide us with abundant resources and skills to respond to the unique needs of people of all ages.

18 “I have called you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you” (Isaiah 43:1-2). Give thanks and praise to God for being our ever present help in every circumstance of life.

19 Praise God for the work of the Spirit, which creates and nurtures our faith and hope in Jesus Christ, our risen Savior, whose love has no limits and endures through our ups and downs.

 20  World Day of Social Justice (U.N.)  Ask for God’s help to advance social justice everywhere, to foster healthy societies and economies, to end inequality and discrimination, and to increase inclusion — issues critical for the well-being of our neighbors and communities.

Morning: PRAY 

Four steps for a good morning prayer can be remembered by the acronym –

PRAY: Praise, Reason, Ask, Yes

1. Paise God. Begin by thanking and praising God for keeping you through the night. Give thanks for God's great love.

2. Reason why God is giving you this day. What needs to be done by you today?

3. Ask God, for forgiveness and grace. Ask God for one gift today to help you be the best you can be.

4. Yes God! Tell God you are ready, willing, and able to accomplish the tasks for the day. Do your best and give God the rest.

Evening: GRIP

In the evening, get a grip on the day: 

GRIP: Gratitude, Recollection, Inventory, Prayers

1. Gratitude: Take a moment to thank God for giving you this day. Give thanks for God's great love for you. Where did God bless you today?

2. Recollection: Look back at the events of the day. Consider who you saw, what you did, where you went. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you courage to be truly soul-searching. Were you growing closer to God or further away?

3. Inventory: Take inventory of how the day went. Thank God for the good you have done. Ask forgiveness for any wrong you have done. Prepare to make some amendment for sins. Take a good look at your mistakes and ask for forgiveness. Accept God's forgiveness and be at peace.

4. Prayers: Give to God all those who need your prayers. Let no boundaries stand in your way as you pray for yourself, your family and friends, the Church, the country, and the world.