I have probably shared these before – but I think they bear repeating.
Three Prayers for the New Year
(Personal prayer)
Father, as I pause to think about praying for a new year, I have to wonder, what is it about changing the date on a calendar that makes us think of “starting over.”? Don’t we realize that every day, yes even every moment is new with You? That at any moment we can surrender ourselves to You and start afresh? Why do we think a date must change for us to change?
Or, is it the season we’ve just gone through that prompts us to make changes? We have experienced the Advent and the celebration of the Day of the birth of our Lord. Is somehow, that “advent” so ingrained within us that we long for “something new”? That we subconsciously want to “prepare” ourselves to be, what, better? More ready for His coming?
I don’t know the “why” Lord. I just know that we do. My prayer is, as Paul said, “forgetting what lies behind, but reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on to the goal…” And what is my goal, Lord? To know Thee more clearly, to serve Thee more nearly, and to love Thee more dearly… this is my prayer.
In Jesus’ name – Amen.
(Universal prayer)
Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent God; our Creator, our Adonay, our El-Shaddai, our God Almighty, You are everything we need. You have created us for Your purposes and to glorify You, hear our cries; hear our praises this day…
We lift up to You this day, a new year; a turning of our earthly calendar. Do You laugh at that, God? For to You “a thousand years is as a single day” and yet we turn the calendar with such pomp and circumstance – with such celebrations and resolutions, that one would think that we had some control… but, it is all Yours.
We humbly bow at that admission and revelation. It is all Yours! Make of us, Lord, servants of the Most High God, make of us, Father, servants of Your children.
We pray, Father, for those for whom the turning of the calendar brings hope; for those who just want to forget last year and start afresh. We pray that they would come to know that every day is new with You.
We pray for those for whom the turning of the calendar brings despair, anxiety and fear; for those who just can’t see how things can get any better. We pray that they would come to know You in all Your fullness, and to recognize that “this world is not their home.”
We pray for those for whom the turning of the calendar brings excitement; for those who know You and just can’t wait to see what You’ll do next. God! That is so exhilarating – just to know the joy of the Lord! But even at that Lord, may we too, realize that “this world is not our home” either. Don’t let us get so caught up with “living” that we forget “life.”
We humbly lay this year at Your feet and ask what would You have us do? Where would You have us go? Who would You have us touch? And who would You have touch us?
And may all that we do, glorify You.
In Jesus’ name – Amen.
(My prayer)
My Father and my God, so order my steps in this coming year as to only bring honor to that Name I carry – “Christian.”
Lord, I know that means so many different things to different people – and some of it is not good. May I begin to change that!
Our younger son once said, “I keep tying my shoe, and it keeps coming untied – it must be something in my step…” Father, no matter how much I try to keep life together, no matter how often I tie my shoes, they keep coming untied. Life keeps coming unraveled, because that’s how life is. And as long as we live as humans, in fallen “containers” it will always be like that.
And so I pray, God, order my steps, control my walk, direct my path, that I may serve You and You alone this new year. That is my plea.
In Jesus’ name – Amen.
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Who Has Whose Hand
Posted in devotionals, How About That, Older reflections, Praying the Psalms, Psalms Commentary/Devotional, Reflections, Scripture Studies, Word Studies, tagged God's Hand, Hand of Comfort, Hand of Strength on April 3, 2019| 4 Comments »
Who Has Whose Hand?
When we see an adult, with child of 5 or 6 years old, holding hands as they cross the street – we know who is holding whose hand.
But add 50-55 years to that scene – and now, who has whose hand?
I remember clearly a pastor we had once mentioning during a sermon something about God being at Jesus’ right hand. Now, we all know that Jesus is at God’s right hand, and I know he saw my puzzled look because as we made eye contact, I saw a slight smile come across his face as he continued talking about God at Jesus’ right hand…
Until… he got past the crucifixion, past the resurrection, and to Hebrews 12:2 where he read, “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” And then I understood.
God was on Jesus’ right hand in mission, and Jesus is on God’s right hand in Glory!
That’s been nearly 25 years ago, and I still think of it. (I have notebooks full of notes from his sermons!) I’ve also thought of it several times this year as I’ve studied the Psalms. It’s amazing to me the number of times David has said, “You (God) take my right hand…” (Psalms 16:8; 73:23; 109:31 for example) and then the times he has said, “Let me (David) take Your (God’s) right hand…” (Psalms 17:7; 18:35 for example – actually there are some 35+ Psalms that mention God’s right hand…)
And so we ask, “Who has whose hand?”
Sometimes David has God’s right hand, and sometimes God has David’s right hand… what’s the difference? It’s certainly not that when God has David’s right hand (the hand of strength) that David is “taking care” of God.
It’s the fact that sometimes God is the strength at our right hand (putting us to work) and sometimes He comforts and protects us by keeping us at His right hand (when we’re too weak to work.)
It’s always God’s strength and salvation, it’s just that sometimes He holds our hand, and sometimes, He allows us to hold His…
As Jerry Clower used to say, “Ain’t God Good!”
God, my Father, my Strength, and my Deliverer, take my right hand and lead me into battle… and then, when the battle looms large ahead of me… may I take Your right hand in comfort and protection.
Oh God, this is almost too much for me to understand. I can’t quite wrap my mind around it.
Oh the depths of Your Word – and the heights to which it takes me – it’s dizzying, and at times, gives me cold chills and almost takes my breath.
As I meditate on Your Word, sometimes a warm wash of clarity comes over me, so much so that I scarcely breathe and don’t want to move, afraid that I may lose that understanding that is barely touching my fingertips…
Oh the wondrous joy of Your precious Word! Thank You for the treasure I hold in my hands!
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