Praying With Others For The New Year

 Praying on First Sunday Of The New Year

Well, not every week but most Sundays we try to find the prayers that folks are praying in churches around the world and join them.  These can just be empty words, for sure,  or as we pray them from our hearts, they can be filled with meaning and be ways that we open our hearts and minds to the presence and work of the God who created us.

Let’s pray:

As we move into this new year God, we need to experience Your hand in our lives.  Lord of yesterday, today and tomorrow, we pray today  in a mixture of hope, anticipation, fear, excitement, and expectation.

We do not know what the year holds for us.  There are things we are afraid of: worries about health and family, job security and finances. There is also much to look forward to – births, weddings, anniversaries, holidays to enjoy, friends and loved ones to laugh with.

Lord God, whatever the year holds for us, we trust You, and we place every day of this year in your care knowing that, as in the past, You are with us, caring for us with constant love.  And so Lord, we place ourselves into your keeping and dedicate our lives to your service.

Loving God, Thank you that you make all things new. Thank you for helping us to make it through this difficult year. Thank you that you’ve carried us through the uncertainty of deep waters, through the flames of trials, and through the pain of hard losses. We are constantly aware of how much we need you, your grace, your strength, your power working through even the toughest days.

We pray for your Spirit to lead us each step of this New Year. We ask that you will guide our decisions and turn our hearts to deeply desire you above all else. We ask that you will open doors needing to be opened and close the ones needing to be shut tight. We ask that you would help us release our grip on the things to which you’ve said “no,” “not yet,” or “wait.” We ask for help to pursue you first, above every dream and desire you’ve put within our hearts.

Help us to keep our focus first on you this season. Please forgive us for giving too much time and attention to other things, for looking to other people before coming to you first. Help us to reflect again, on what Christmas is really all about. Thank you that you came to give new life, peace, hope, and joy. Thank you that your power is made perfect in our weakness.

Help us to remember that the gift of Christ, Immanuel, is our greatest treasure, not just at Christmas, but for the whole year through. Fill us with your joy and the peace of your Spirit. Direct our hearts and minds towards you. Thank you for your reminder that both in seasons of celebration and in seasons of brokenness, you’re still with us. For you never leave us.

Thank you for your daily powerful Presence in our lives, that we can be assured your heart is towards us, your eyes are over us, and your ears are open to our prayers. Thank you that you surround us with favor as with a shield, and we are safe in your care.  Amen