Short prayers based on the book of Job
<aside> 🙏🏻 “Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? No one else on earth is like him, a man of perfect integrity, who fears God and turns away from evil.” (Job 1:8)
When you look at us Lord, we want you to see us as men and women of perfect integrity, who fear you, and who turn away from evil. Thank you that this is what you do see when you look at us because we are in Christ, and have been made righteous by Him and have been set free from the guilt of sin. We pray that by your Spirit, you would help us to live out this reality each day. To be upright in our dealings with others. To respond to you in the way you want us to. And to avoid anything that would lead us to sin against you. Amen.
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<aside> 🙏🏻 “Why is light given to one burdened with grief, and life to those whose existence is bitter.” (Job 3:20)
Our God, when we see the reality of suffering and evil in our world, and when we experience bitter providences in our lives, we often ask “Why?” We don’t understand your ways. We don’t see how you can be working for good in these situations. Help us in those moments to keep our eyes fixed on you and to trust you with all our thoughts and feelings and any questions we may have, knowing that when we cast our cares upon you are able to sustain us. Amen.
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<aside> 🙏🏻 “Can a mortal be righteous before God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?” (Job 4:17)
Your Word O Lord tells us that no one is righteous, not even one. All of us are born sinners and unrighteous in your sight. None of us have clean hands and pure hearts and are able to stand in your holy presence. We are by nature without hope because we are objects of your wrath. So, we thank you our God that your Son the righteous One, died for us who are unrighteous, to make us righteous in your sight, and by faith in Him that is what we now are. We adore you and praise you for your glorious grace. Amen.
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<aside> 🙏🏻 “What strength do I have, that I should continue to hope? What is my future, that I should be patient?” (Job 6:11)
Lord, we confess there are times when we just want to give up. Life is hard. Trials are many. Suffering is unbearable. Loss is painful. And we can’t see it getting any better. Lord, we wonder if they is any hope and any future for us. Please, by your Spirit, in these moments help us not to lose heart, because we do have a hope and a future because Jesus is alive and preparing a place for us in His Father’s house. Give us the strength and patience we need to keep going until the time you have chosen for us enter into and enjoy life in your eternal kingdom. Amen.
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<aside> 🙏🏻 “Yes, I know what you’ve said is true, but how can a person be justified before God?” (Job 9:2)
Lord, there is only one way that we can be right before you, and that is by faith in your Son, Jesus. We thank you that He is the Saviour we need. The one who died and rose again to take away our sins, the judgment we deserve, and give us eternal life. We praise you that in Him we are justified before God. We pray that this wonderful news which we know and are trusting in would be made known where it has not been heard. For the 3.2 billion people who don’t have access to the truth of how they can be made right before God through faith in Jesus, we pray that the gospel would spread to them. Raise up workers for the harvest field so that they might be reached with the gospel, and by your Spirit give them the faith to respond and be justified before you. Amen.
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<aside> 🙏🏻 “Can you fathom the depths of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?” (Job 11:7)
Almighty God, there is no one like you. We have so many limits. There are so many things we don’t see or know, or that we can’t control. Yet with you there are no limits. We praise you that there are no limits to your knowledge and wisdom so there is nothing you do not know. We praise you that there are no limits to your power so you can do all things. We praise you there are no limits to your love so you perfectly love your people. May your limitlessness comfort us in limitedness as we fix our eyes on you. Amen.
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<aside> 🙏🏻 “Even if he kills me, I will hope in him. I will still defend my ways before him.” (Job 13:15)
With you Lord, there is never a time when we do not have hope. No matter what we’re going through, no matter what we’re facing, there is always hope to be found in you. We thank you that even when life’s difficulties seem more than we can cope with, we can know that you are with us and that it will not always be like this, because as Jesus was raised from the dead, one day we will be to everlasting life. So we say, “God, our hope is in you. We believe in you. We trust in you.” Amen.
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<aside> 🙏🏻 “Instead, I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation from my lips would bring relief.” (Job 16:5)
Father, help us to be careful with our words, especially when we speak to those who are going through times of suffering. We know the Devil would tempt us to say things that would add to their misery, so we pray that you would help us to resist the urge to do this, and instead respond with kindness and compassion. Lord, teach us how to speak a comforting word in season to those who are weary and downcast. May our words express real concern, encourage their confidence in God, and build them up in the faith so that their spirit’s don’t sink. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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<aside> 🙏🏻 “But I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the end he will stand on the dust.” (Job 19:25)
Our God, in this world full of sin and evil and suffering and pain, we praise you that we have a Redeemer who is alive today, and who will one day return and stand on the earth. We thank you that you loved the world so much that you gave your only Son. We thank you, our Lord Jesus, that you lived and died to save us from our sins. Now risen and ascended and seated at your Father’s right hand, we thank you that you will come again and make all things new. Lord, this is our hope. Help us to remember this when going through suffering, that one day we will see our Saviour’s face, and He will wipe away every tear from our eyes. Amen.
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