At the beginning of every year, many of us take the time not
only to reflect on the past 12 months, but to plan for a better us in the unspoiled days ahead. I love to crumple the last
page of the old calendar and tack up a brand new one. A new year means a chance
to change the future for the good, the opportunity to begin anew, and an
occasion to view life with a fresh perspective.
The best way we can kick off the New Year is by committing our lives to God—whether it is for the first time or the fiftieth time! For me, the Scripture that says it best is 2 Corinthians 5:17:
“Anyone who is joined to
Christ is a new being;
the old is gone, the new has
come.”
That's what I want for 2014--a renewed relationship with Jesus! As I read my
devotions from Proverbs 31 Ministries this morning, the New Year's prayer by Wendy Blight hit
home:
"Heavenly Father, I praise You this day as God, my Creator. You are the Author of my life. You are the Strength of my heart and my Portion forever. You are all I need.
My heart's desire in this New Year is to grow closer to You. In knowing You better, I will know myself more because my identity is found in You.
I want to become a person after Your own heart. God, I ask You to help me each day carve out time to spend with You. Give me eyes to see, ears to hear, a heart to receive, and a mind to understand all that You will teach me. Make my heart tender to hear Your voice each time I meet with You.
Take Your Word and penetrate my heart. Create a hunger deep inside my soul for more and more of You. May nothing else satisfy me more than You.
Give me a heart of humility. If there is anything in me that keeps me from hearing You, reveal it to me. Convict me. Move me to confession. Cleanse my heart and renew a right spirit within me so I can be in perfect fellowship with You.
Fill my heart with Your truth. Plant it deep so that it takes root. Move me. Change me. Transform me. Empower me to live out what I hear and learn.
Every day of this New Year, make my life one long walk of obedience in response to Your Word and Your Holy Spirit Who lives and reigns in me. Let Your love and Your Word shape my life. This is my prayer offering. I ask this in Jesus' Name, Amen."
Will you join Wendy and me in praying this prayer? This year
will you offer yourself to God and yield to His will?
Blessings!
Pam©2014 Pamela D. Williams
