Facing the New Year

What will the New Year bring?  We don’t know what lies in the future. We may face this coming year with some trepidation. Many at St Paul’s are growing older and life is getting tougher, with various challenges of one sort or another. For some there is the hope that things might get better. Some are still healing from various trials and tribulations of the past. Whatever fears we may have, the one sure thing is that if we are Christians, then God is with us and we are not alone. Not ever. Our God is a “with us” God. On the heels of the celebration of the birth of our King, that reminder has the power to carry us right into a fresh new start. He is Immanuel, God with us, and though things around us shift and change, our God never changes.

 A prayer to keep God first this year:

Our Gracious and Heavenly Father, we thank you that you have called us to Yourself and that You have watched over  our lives in the past. We move forward this new year knowing that You have some good and wise purpose in all You do in our lives.

Remind us how much we need You and rely on Your Presence filling us each day. 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 that need to be opened and close those that need to be shut tight. We ask that You will help us to release our grip on the things to which You’ve said “no”, “not yet”, or “wait”.

We ask for help to pursue You first and foremost in our minds. We ask for greater faith, knowing that You have promised to be with us in every situation.

We pray that You would make us strong and courageous for the road ahead. Give us ability beyond what we feel able, let Your gifts flow freely through us so that You would be honoured by our lives and others would be drawn to You. We pray that You would keep us from the snares and traps  of temptations. We pray for Your protection over our families and friends. We ask for Your hand to cover us and keep us distanced from the evil intent of the enemy; that You would be a barrier to surround us, and help us realise that we are safe in Your hands. We pray that You would give us discernment and insight beyond our years, to understand Your will, to hear Your voice and to know your ways. May we be lovers of truth. May the fruits of Your Spirit be evident in our lives- Your love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Shine Your light in us, through us and over us. May You use us for Your own eternal purposes.

Lord, may we know Your peace and hope, and may we live to Your glory and honour this new year and forever, Amen.