New Year's Prayer: Step by Step


Here’s a prayer for the New Year from Joanna Harader’s Spacious Faith blog.

Prayer for the New Year

God of new life,
God of life made new,
We begin this new year as we ended the last–
embraced by your spirit of love
   your presence of peace
   your gentle power.
We leave behind the old year in the knowledge that
   whatever we have done in the service of selfish desire;
   whenever we have participated in injustice;
   however we have strayed from Jesus’ way;
You have forgiven us.
Lead us now into the abundant life of the new year.
Give us eyes to glimpse your presence in each moment.
Give us ears to hear the quiet promptings of your Spirit.
Give us hearts open to the joy and the pain of the lives that surround ours.
We set our feet
once again
on the way walked by Jesus.
These steps of peace may be difficult
   in a terrain that slopes toward violence.
These steps of justice may prove tiring
   as we walk against the winds of injustice.
These steps of love may be painful
   with so much hatred to step over and bump up against.
Give us the wisdom
Give us the strength
to take these steps anyway.
Each day a new step.
Each step a faithful movement toward your kingdom.
Each step taken only by your grace
only in your power
our Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer.
Amen.

— written by Joanna Harader, and posted on her Spacious Faith blog. http://spaciousfaith.com/