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A Prayer For a New Year
Good and gracious God,
2011 was not the year we hoped it to be.
Before we begin this new yearremind us that we should never be
satisfiedwith any year.
Remind us that the pursuitof heaven on earth should always be
our goal.Remind us that while that goalalways seems to be beyond
our reach,we are called to reach for it non-the-less.
Remind us that when our armsseem to be about to fall out of
their socketsbecause we must stretch ourselves so farto reach and
pull this planet towardyour peaceable kin-dom here on Earth
Remind us that you are with us,that you will strengthen us,that
you still call us,to a better,higher,more acceptableway.
Giving God,May 2012 be a year of blessings.Not necessarily on
ourselves,but on those in need.
For too many people come into the new yeareating black-eyed peas
and leafy greensas a way to bring about prosperity-failing to
recognize the abudanceyou have already planted in their lives.
In this false sense of lacking,all too frequently, we find
ourselvesholding back from giving as freelyas you call as to
do.
May 2012 be a year of blessings.May we recognize the blessings
we have,and share so abundantly of themthat others, whose lives
might be truly lacking,may more fully know the abundanceand
blessings of your creation,and the extent of your graciousness.
Healing God,Far too many in this world,lack the basics of
life.Basics that should be considered human rights.In 2012 may we
open our eyes to the connectedness of life.
By your design, in the words of Dr. King,We are caught in an
inescapable network of mutuality...which means Injustice anywhere
is a threat to justice everywhere.
Far too many suffer from the injusticeof not having their basic
needs met,their fundamental human rights met;
clean water,enough food,safety,a roof under which to
sleep,access to health care,the right to be treated with
dignity,the right to be treated equally,
freedom from slavery,freedom from discrimination,access to
education,reasonable privacy,life,the pursuit of happiness.
Help us to not only recognize these rights,but to recognize that
when any lack in them,it is a threat to all of your Creation.
Encourage us to pursue access for all peopleto these basic human
rights...May we not be satisfieduntil justice rolls down like
watersand righteousnesslike a mighty stream.
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God of all wisdom,guide us in 2012,for we have lost our way.In
the fundamentalism of this world,we have lost sight of the
fundamentals ofwho you call us to beand the fundamentals of a
peaceable kin-dom realized.
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Call us back from our Earthly desires ofpower, prestige and
self-promotionand return us to the pursuit ofthe Divine image in
whose likeness we were formed.
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May 2012 be the year of our pursuit
ofhope,grace,peace,love....May 2012 be the year of our earnest
pursuit ofYou.
AMEN
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Prayer by Mark A. Sandlin Used with permission
thegodarticle.com
Music: Secret GardenPPS A..a
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