Reba and I will be off for some special time in Colorado visiting our son Branden, our beautiful daughter-in-law Carisa, and our grandchildren Britta and Sebastian. We will be back with you for worship on Sunday January 9th. With Advent beginning a new church liturgical year and on January 1st, we begin the New Year of 2022. I am looking forward to some time and commitment to begin this new year. I am emphasizing the need to “Take A Moment” in 2022 to relax my mind and humble my heart and focus on Christ. I will allow God each morning to be the only Person on my mind while I read this prayer (broken into parts). I ask you to join me with this commitment as we begin 2022. When we give the time it takes to read articles, jokes, stories, emails, and Facebook etc., we should give the same respect to our prayer time. I plan to break this prayer into segments and meditate on just a small part each day during the beginning of the month of January. I invite you to join me in this prayerful practice.
The Great I Am, I thank You for this day. I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning. I am blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me, and You keep on blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said, or thought that was not pleasing to You. I ask now for Your forgiveness. AMEN.
O’ lord, please keep me safe from all danger and harm. Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You. AMEN.
Father God, please broaden my mind that I can accept things. Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over. Let me continue to see sin through Your eyes and acknowledge it as evil. And when I sin, let me repent, and confess with my words and heart, my wrongdoing, and receive Your forgiveness. Amen.
Creator God, when this world closes in on me, let me remember Jesus’ example – to slip away and find a quiet place to pray. It is the best response when I am pushed beyond my limits. I know that when I find only a little time to pray, You listen to my heart. Continue to use me to do Your work. AMEN.
Aba Father, continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may help the weak. Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others. I pray for those who are lost and cannot find their way. I pray for those who are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who do not know You intimately. I pray for those who yet do not believe in You. I thank you for my belief and those who have guided and encouraged in the faith. AMEN.
Yahweh, I believe that You change people, and You change things. I pray for all my sisters and brothers and for each and every family member in their household. I pray for my church, my pastor, and our church leadership. I pray for peace, love, and joy in our world. I pray for the needs in our world. AMEN.
Father Almighty, I pray that we turn our problems and the problems of the world over to You. My we all know that there is no circumstance, problem, or situation greater than what You lay a hand on. Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight. I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees them and every mouth that confesses them willingly. This I pray in Your Name, In the Name of Jesus The Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit. AMEN.
May our prayer life be a blessing in 2022!
Pastor Gary
Claybanks United Methodist Church 