14 If my people who are called by my name humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
(2 Chronicles 7:14)-
The first stanza of the hymn “Another Year is Dawning” says, “Another year is dawning: Dear Father, let it be, In working or in waiting, Another year with Thee; Another of progress., Another year of praise, Another year of proving Thy presence all the days.”
It is a song prayer. And I believe that this is the right way to welcome another year in our life.
14 If my people who are called by my name humble themselves and PRAY and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
I highlighted “PRAY” because that should be our attitude as we welcome the gift of New Year. This reminds us of what Psalm 92:12, believed to be written by Moses when he was 90 years Old. He said, “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
I would like to share a prayer with you as your prayer for today when you sit down and reflect upon the goodness and graciousness of God in your life.
Lord, help me to live today as though it were the last day of my life, as though all the other days that I have experi-enced and all the days that I hope to experience, didn’t even exist in my thinking.
Help me to put into practice this day what to really believe-that You are alive and You are there when I need Your help, that you know me for what I really am yet love me, forgive me, accept me. Help me to give up on having to solve everybody’s problems-my own included-and live worry-free, at least for today.
Open my eyes today so that I can see the smile of a baby and notice the beauty and freshness of a flower. Help me to see the blue of the sky and the green grass despite being covered with snow, the splendor of Your world as Your hand paints the sky both morning and evening a thousand colors and shades.
Give me the perspective of eternity, to make me realize that the trivial concerns that consume my time and energy, things that I think are so important now, will not really count five minutes after I die. Today help me to focus on what really counts-my spouse (if you are married), my children, my family, my friends, my calling in life. Today, Lord, just let me be what I am and nothing else-transparent, open, free from guile and hypocrisy.
Help me to see others, too-not the veneer, the outside-but let me look beyond their idiosyncrasies and personalities to see the good that is in them because Your hand has touched them.
Help me set aside my agenda and consider how Your agenda might be different from mine. Today help me to think of interruptions and difficulties as special challenges that You allowed because You have something special to teach me.
Lord, help me to be thankful for what I have as well as what I don’t have. Help me see Your copious hand of blessing and focus on the many, many things You have given me rather than be discontent with what I think I need which I may not really need after all.
This sounds like a pretty tall order, Lord, but in reality, it is what I need to do every day. It is what You did day after day, giving us example so that we can follow in Your footsteps. And one more thing, Lord, please forgive me of my sin as I forgive who sin against me.
That’s it, Lord, my prayer for today. Amen.
A Blessed New Year to all of you. From the Gallo Family.
Pastor Gideon