Parable
Parable Of The Rich Man And Lazarus Prayer
A short, Scripture-shaped parable prayer for an ordinary moment of Christian faith.
The prayer
A prayer to pray now
Father, the rich man in Luke 16 did not throw Lazarus out. He let him stay at the gate. He just did not see him. Not seeing was the whole sin. Even the dogs noticed Lazarus when the rich man did not. That truth stops me in my tracks. Open my eyes today to the person at my gate. He may be at the bus stop. She may be in the next cubicle. He may be the face I scroll past on the way to something more fun. I do not need to be a hero to change this. I just need to look. And once I have looked, help me do what looking has shown me. Do not let the gap between us grow too wide for me to cross. Amen.
How to pray it
- Read it slowly. Move through this prayer one line at a time, out loud if you can, letting each phrase land before the next.
- Make it personal. Pause where a line meets your day and name the person, fear, or hope it touches before God.
- Carry it with you. Keep one sentence with you — on your phone or in your pocket — and return to it when the day gets loud.
Verses to pray
Pray these slowly, one line at a time. Scripture quoted from a public-domain translation.
and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
Luke 16:21
Questions about this prayer
When should I pray parable of the rich man and lazarus prayer?
Pray it whenever the words fit your moment — at the start of the day, in a hard stretch, or when you simply want to turn toward God.
Which Bible verses anchor this prayer?
This prayer is anchored in Luke 16:21. The "Verses to pray" section above quotes them in full.
Can I save or share this prayer?
Yes. Use the Copy prayer button to copy the words, or open the Chosen Portion app to keep a daily prayer, devotional, and Scripture with you.