A New Year's Prayer

Here’s a prayer of thanksgiving and confession for the New Year.  It was written by Howard Carter.

New Year’s Prayer

Loving God maker of heaven and earth
We join together this morning to praise you
We enter your gates with thanksgiving
And into your courts with praise

You are eternal with no beginning or end
You made us, and you are working your purposes out
in our world and our lives
Know that the Lord is God

We praise you in this New Year
We praise you that whatever the future holds
we know that it is held in your hands.
The LORD is God he made us and we are his

We look back at this past year
We see that you have been with us,
provided for us and lead us in your ways
We are your people
and the flock for which you provide

We praise you for Jesus Christ
We have celebrated at Christmas that you became one of us,
you pitched your tent in our neighborhood;
That you live amongst us
and showed us your great love and mercy,
that you gave your life for ours
paying the price for all we have done wrong,
and in being raised to life again
have given us fresh beginnings and new life in you
For the Lord is Good

We look forwards this New Year
Unable to see beyond the next bend or over the horizon
Yet we prepared to follow you our times are in your hands
The steadfast love of the lord endures forever
His faithfulness to all generations

We confess our sins to you
We have done what we should not do
and left undone what We should do
We have either thought too highly of ourselves
and not cared enough for others
We have thought too little of ourselves
and allowed ourselves to be written off as worthless
Forgive us LORD

As we have confessed our sins
God is faithful and just
and has forgiven us our sins
and cleansed us from all unrighteousness
We give thanks and bless your name

Thank you that you send your spirit upon us
to lead us into all truth
and to empower us to live and witness to you.
May we be filled a fresh this new year
to follow you more closely
and share your love with the world around us
We worship the Lord with gladness
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

~ written by Howard Carter, and posted on How in the World! http://howard-carter.blogspot.ca/2012/12/a-new-years-prayer-thanksgiving-and.html