A Prayer to Cherish and Uphold the Sanctity of Life - Your Daily Prayer - January 19

Audio By Carbonatix

A Prayer to Cherish and Uphold the Sanctity of Life
By Lynette Kittle

Bible Reading:
“What is mankind that You are mindful of them, human beings that You care for them?  You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of Your hands; You put everything under their feet.” - Psalm 8:4-6

Listen or Read Below:

As the Church celebrates Sanctity of Life Day, we are reminded why we cherish and uphold life. As Psalm 139:14 explains, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Genesis 1:27 describes how God designed us after Himself: “So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.” We cherish and uphold life because we are made in God's image, representing Him to those around us on earth. Just like Jesus was one with the Father and represented Him on earth, we are called to be one with Him, too, and represent Him through the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives.

As 1 Corinthians 11:7 states, we aren’t just a product of God; we are His glory.

God’s Hand Is on Us

Our creator, God, oversees everything about us before we are even formed in our mothers’ wombs. Psalm 139:16 reiterates that we don’t haphazardly come into the world without God’s plan for our lives: “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.” Ephesians 2:10 reminds us, too, that “we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Not only did God care about us enough to make us in His image, Genesis 2:7 tells us that He also breathed life into us directly: “Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”

God Calls Us to Value Life

David, when being chased by King Saul, had an opportunity to end his life, but he didn’t. Instead, he wrote, “As surely as I valued your life today, so may the Lord value my life and deliver me from all trouble” (1 Samuel 26:24). Just as David valued the life of Saul, sparing his life when it was in his power to end it, we are called to value the lives of others as well. 

In Deuteronomy 30:19, we see how Moses encouraged his people to value and choose life by saying, “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.”

God Hates the Shedding of Innocent Blood

Proverbs 31:8 urges us to “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.” Because we are made in God’s image, here on earth as His representatives, we are called by Him to cherish and uphold life, understanding that He hates the shedding of innocent blood.

“There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil” (Proverbs 6:16-18).

Let’s Pray:

Dear Father,

Our hearts are overflowing with gratitude to You for the priceless gift of our lives; for forming us with Your own hand into Your image. Thank You for breathing the breath of life into our bodies and creating us as living beings.

Because we are created in Your magnificent image and for Your glory, help us to glorify You. Remind us that we are called to be one with You, through the presence of Your Holy Spirit in our lives, to represent You as Jesus did on earth.

Strengthen us to value and choose life for ourselves, and stand up for individuals who are not valued in our culture.

Lead us in Your wisdom and boldness to speak up for them, to cherish and uphold their sanctity of life and right to live and breathe because You have ordained it. 

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Share your reflections on today’s devotional in the Your Daily Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.

Photo Credit: @adroman 

Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.

Related Resource: Starting 2026 with Intention: Confidence, Diligence, and God’s Direction

As we begin a brand-new year, I want to help you slow down and listen for God’s invitation in your life. In this episode, we kick off our One Word 2026 series — a simple, prayerful way to reflect on where you’ve been and discern how God may be inviting you to grow in the year ahead.

I introduce the heart behind choosing a spiritual “one word,” not as a goal to achieve, but as a posture to receive. We explore two of the six words I’ll be offering this month — confidence and diligence — and look at how Scripture invites us to grow, not by relying on our own strength, but by trusting God’s faithfulness over time.

 This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to subscribe to the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!