This is what the Lord says: “Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches. But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I, the Lord, have spoken!” Jer. 9:23-24 (NLT)
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of a new year, and thank you for all the grace you lavished on us in the past year. There wasn’t a day you didn’t send new mercies and sufficient grace (even when we ignored them); and you steadfastly delighted in us, even when we delighted in anything else but you. Because of Jesus’ finished work, your love for us is irrepressible, immeasurable, and inexhaustible. It’s also the passion and power you use to make us like Jesus. We worship and adore you, for so great a salvation.
And now, in response to the words you spoke through Jeremiah, this is our prayer for the upcoming year. May it be a year filled with getting to know you better and better, and serving you more and more passionately. The lust for praise and power, riches and relationships, comfort and control will be unrelenting. But Father, we want intimacy with you to seize our hearts, schedules, and energy.
May knowing you—in renewed and fresh ways, compel us to love mercy, work for justice and walk humbly with you this year. May we dance and suffer, work and pray, serve and love, all to your glory. Pour out your Spirit in our churches, and give us an invigorated love for our particular church families, as messy as they may be.
May we live each day this year confident of your great love for us in Jesus, surrendered to your sovereign purposes and providences, and filled with longing and hope for the Day Jesus will return to finish making all things new. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ merciful and mighty name.
