God of the New Year,
We enter this new year full of emotions:
excitement, nerves, wonder, hope, and sadness.
As we reflect on the past year we see your love scattered through our days.
We see your grace raining upon us.
We see your reflection in us.
You’re in the business of making all things new.
This year may our eyes turn to you in seeing what new thing you’re doing in us.
How your story of redemption is our story, too.
How your story of grace begs to be known in our lives.
How your story of unending love finds us in the darkest corners.
How your forgiveness reaches to our hearts and transforms us into people who forgive.
Make us new in you.
Turn our eyes to the small and quiet ways you make yourself known.
In the simple and serene, the mundane and daily.
In our waking and sleeping, may we turn to you.
In our playing and working, may we offer our gifts to you.
In our questioning and believing, may we keep our hearts on your word.
You walked with Abraham into an unknown land,
You counted the multitude of stars as his descendants.
You walked with the Israelites into a new home and identity.
You called prophets to new lands to share your word.
You called your people to hear words of hope and restoration from your prophets.
You walked with Mary and Joseph to welcome the Savior in a manger.
You called fisherman and tax collectors to leave all they knew to proclaim your kingdom.
You turned a symbol of death into a symbol of hope and resurrection for all time.
You are no stranger to bringing your people from desperation to hope,
from sickness to healing,
from unbelief to belief,
from uncertainty to peace.
You’re in the business of making all things new.
This year, this day, this moment, make me new.
Amen.