Praying in the New Year
Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
- Adoration (Scripture Psalms 8:1, 57-9-11, 84:10-12)
O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
Your glory is higher than the heavens.
I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.
Better is one day in your courses than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.
Lord, we bless You and place your trust in You again,
today, and for the new year we are about to enter.
2. Confession (Psalm 130)
From the depths of despair, O Lord, I call for your help.
Hear my cry, O Lord. Pay attention to my prayer.
Lord, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive?
But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you.
I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him.
I have put my hope in his word. I long for the Lord more than sentries long for the dawn
O people of God, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is unfailing love
His redemption overflows.
He himself will redeem His people from every kind of sin.
Prayer: Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart and mind and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us amend what we are, and direct what we shall be, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
3. Petition (Matthew 7:7-12)
Lord, You have told us to "keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for.
Keep on seeking, and you will find.
Keep on knocking, and the door will be open to you.
For everyone who asks, receives .
Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened."
We come to You to ask, to seek, to knock on Your door today.
As parents, if our children ask for a loaf of bread, we would never give them a stone instead!
Or if they asked for a fish, we would never give them a snake!
Of course not! We are sinful people, yet we know how to give good gifts to our children.
How much more, then, can we trust that You, our loving Heavenly Father will give good gifts to us when we ask.
4. Thanksgiving (Psalm 107)
Lord, we are so grateful that You hear us when we pray,
That You are already working even before we bring our requests to You.
We are thankful for all the good things You have done this pas year,
For all the good things You will do in the coming year,
For a lifetime of blessings and mercies,
And for the knowledge that Your goodness to us will never cease -
that we will taste and celebrate Your goodness for ever.
O Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good:
For his steadfast love endures forever!
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, those he redeemed from trouble.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind!
Let them extol him in the congregation of the people
And praise him in the assembly of the elders.
Let those who are wise give heed to these things;
And consider the steadfast love of the Lord.