Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for meeting us exactly where we are on this New Year’s Eve. As another year draws to a close, we find ourselves in a variety of circumstances. For some of us, 2023 was a great year full of opportunities and only a few bumps in the road. For others of us, 2023 proved to be another challenging year full of obstacles that often left us feeling hopeless. However, for all of us, 2023 was another year of your faithfulness, your goodness, your grace, your mercy, your strength, your provisions, and your unconditional love. Father, forgive us for when our circumstances clouded our view and understanding of you.
As we await the clock striking midnight, Lord, our eyes are fixed on you. Father, we need you - in the good times and the bad. We want your guidance and your wisdom. We want to walk in the confidence of being your loved child. We want to face our circumstances filled with your joy. We want to trust you with all that we have and all that we are, and we know that we can not do this alone. We need your help.
Father, would you draw us close? Would you once again meet us where we are and help us to strengthen our relationship with you? God, would you create in us a hunger that is only satisfied by spending time talking with you? Father, would you take away the shame and embarrassment we feel because we think we don’t know how to talk to you?
God, we know that who we are is simply defined as being created in your image. We want to live in that truth completely. The beginning of a new year often brings hope and excitement of possibility. But God, would you help us remember that we have hope and excitement of possibility every day because of who we are in you?
For 2024, Father, we are intentionally setting our eyes on you and carving out time to meet with you through prayer. We want to be ‘pray first’ people. God, would you meet us here and lead us? Father, we worship, praise, adore, and appreciate who you are. Thank you for being our one constant in a world full of ups and downs. Thank you for eagerly awaiting our time together. God, we are giving you permission to do what only you can do in us because our hearts, minds, and ears are open to receive what you have for us. May you receive all honor, all glory, and all praise for all the days of our lives. Lord, we love you. Make us more like you in all ways.
Amen.
Rebecca Mabe
