Lord,
None of us knows for sure what lies ahead in the upcoming year. As we prepare to celebrate the new opportunities and put another year into the pages of history, I pray we would be mindful of you. You are steadfast. You have not changed since you said, “Let there be light,” in [Gen 1:3] You have remained on the throne of this universe through the great flood [Gen 6-8]. You kept your promise to Abraham blessing him with not only a son but with the beginning of a new nation of your chosen people. [Gen 12-18] You did not abandon Joseph through his many trials and sufferings but rather used them to preserve your nation Israel. [Gen 37-48]. You saved Moses from death and used him mightily to deliver Israel from bondage to Egypt. [Ex 2-14]
I expect you will be faithful to all of us in 2011 as well. [I Thess 5:24] We do not know what lies before us. There will be trials. Many will face changes. Some will be uprooted, and others will be called to meet you in eternity. I ask you no matter what we face that we would draw closer to you than we have ever before. I ask you to deepen our thirst for you. [Ps 42:1-2] I ask you to increase our appetite for more of you in this dry and weary land. [Ps 63:1]
Please give us the discipline to prioritize our lives. Please help us to focus on you and give you the time necessary to cultivate a real relationship with you. I ask you to give us a new love for your word and for time alone with you. I ask you to give us the wisdom [James 1:5-8] to not clutter our lives with lesser things but to give our best time to you throughout the year.
Please give us discernment to know the things you are calling us to and the other stuff that only adds more clutter to already overcommitted lives. I ask you to set a vision for each of us in the upcoming year. Outline what you want us to believe you for and I ask you to give us the faith to meet the challenge. I also ask you for courage in the face of trials not to shrink away in fear and unbelief. I ask you for the courage to say with Isaiah, “Here am I send me.” [Is 6:8] when you ask who will be willing to go for you. May we give you our “yes” right now before the year even starts officially to follow you. I ask you to give us roots to endure the trials and to be anchored when the storms come as they always do. [Ps 1:2-3]I ask you to give us tenacity to stay firmly in the ground of your word no matter what we are called to face or to endure.
I lift up those who will need your comfort in the coming year. I ask you to prepare them for the sorrows that so often accompany life. I ask you to draw them closer to you and to strengthen them through your word. Please undergird faith to cling to you and to your word for answers and comfort in those times of difficulties.
I lift up those who are waiting on you for something. I pray they would not give up. [Luke 18:1][Gal 6:9] May they not grow weary and fall away. I ask you to move mountains to make dreams come true. [Mark 11:23-24] I ask you to give resolve to work hard to see those dreams come true. I ask you to show all of us your power in ways we have never seen it before. You don’t have to do that to prove you are God. We know that already and you do not have prove anything. We just want more experiences with you to show the world what you can do.
Lastly, I pray you would you receive the gift of our lives on your altar for this year.[Rom 12:1] I pray your people would lay them down willingly. I lay my life and my family before you to do with as you please. We are yours. May people quit holding back and fully surrender their families and their futures to you. You have every right to call us to do anything anywhere at anytime you want. Please give us such love for you that we cannot hold back. You have our “yes.” We will do anything, anywhere, at anytime you call us to in 2011. May you get glory for all of it.
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