Today is the first day of a new year. A day to take stock of what has been and to begin afresh into what could be. Today we pray in both directions, praising our Father for what has been (and will continue), and committing expectantly to keeping to what we can be together in Jesus.
Join your faith family today in praying these words adapted from John Ballie,
Eternal Father of our souls, let our first thought this first day of this new year be of you. Let our first impulse be to worship you, let our first word your Name, let our first action be to kneel before you in prayer.
For your perfect wisdom and perfect goodness often seen most clearly when looking back;
For the love you have for all people of all colors and political convictions;
For the love you have for us who are no better in ourselves than them;
For the great and mysterious opportunity of life with you right here and right now;
For your Spirit, who dwells in our hearts;
For the gifts of your Spirit by which life is full and a blessing to others;
We praise and worship you, O Father.
Still, when this new year’s prayer is finished, do let us think that our worship is ended and spend the rest of of this day and this coming year forgetting you most of the time and remembering only occasionally. Instead, from this quite transition from chaos to craving, let light and oy and power pour out and remain with us through each hour of each day in 2021.
May that light and joy and power:
Keep our thoughts pure;
Keep us gentle and truthful in all that we say;
Keep us discerning good, true, and beautiful;
Keep us speaking for those without a voice and caring for those who are forgotten;
Keep us faithful and diligent in our daily work;
Keep us humble in our opinions of ourselves;
Keep us honorable and generous in our dealing with one another and neighbors;
Keep us loyal to every cherished memory of the past;
Keep us mindful of our eternal destiny as your children.
O Father, you have been the refuge of your people through many generations; be our refuge in 2021, in every moment and every need that we face. Be our guide through all uncertainty and darkness. Be our guard against all that threatens our spiritual well-being. Be our strength in times of testing. Chee our hearts this new day of this new year—and everyday that follows—with your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.