How to Pray in the New Year: A With-God Psalm

Reading Time: 3 minutes

I hope this prayer gives you words to voice your disappointment and joy experienced in the past year and words of hope and truth for the coming year. Happy new year, Eugene

Oh Great I Am,

Timeless God of Time:

Last year’s empty box

Filled,

Slowly or quickly, 

But inevitably.

With

Joy unexpected

Oftimes undetected,

Light refracted

 From Your watchful eye.

With

People whose laughter and tears, 

Whose voices and fears

Left a gorgeous stain,

Though some no longer remain. 

With

Soul-wearying disease and disaster,

A dance of pain,

Grief and heartache

Only You can rename.

With

Fears realized, repeated,  

Reappearing undefeated.

Worried ghosts cloaked in sorrow

Haunting yesterday and tomorrow.

With 

Godsightings gleaned or unseen, 

Strands of grace

Sprouting from seed.

Rejected or embraced.

With

Love reckless and true,

Star-streaks in wild blue,

Or dark night

Emanating from You.

With 

Hope that tomorrow 

Would quench

The fires and vanquish 

The dragons of today.

God Who Will Be:

Now another new and open box

Yawns before us.

Begin to fill it.

With

Your Spirit overflowing

As cool water

Overwhelms dry places,

As a breeze touches our faces.

With

Grace undeserved 

But well-served

Like a fine meal savored

And satisfying.

With

People unique, imperfect,

Scented with sweat and love

Imaged by You.

With

Music whose rhythm 

Trips and frolics

To heaven’s tempo. 

With

Words soaring and poetic,

Hummingbird persistent,

Brimming with truth.

With

Golden redemption

Of past and looming gloom.

Rock-hearts broken open 

Receptive to You.

With

The miraculously mundane

That everyday exceptions

Stand in the way

Of our great expectations.

With

Images of Your Kingdom

Leaving scant space

For hate and blame,

Hopelessness and shame.

God of Now:

Fill us

With

Expectancy

Poured into open palms,

Received by thundering hearts.

God of Forever:

Fill us

With

You!

Here’s another prayer you may find helpful.

A Winter Prayer