Prayer
Did you notice that Aaron beautifully crafted yesterday's worship service as one continuous prayer? What a perfect way to start the new year. The service began with this prayer (enter into prayer even now as you read these lyrics!):
Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
In working or in waiting, another year with Thee.
Another year of progress, another year of praise,
Another year of proving Thy presence all the days.
Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace,
Another year of gladness in the shining of Thy face;
Another year of leaning upon Thy loving breast;
Another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest.
Another year of service, of witness for Thy love,
Another year of training for holier work above.
Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
On earth, or else in Heaven, another year for Thee.
Lyrics written like this in second person give us the opportunity to speak to the Lord (i.e. to pray) in song. Following this, Lauren led us in a beautiful setting of the Lord's prayer set to the tune "Auld Lang Syne." I can't think of a more appropriate way for us to approach the new near as a staff than with a renewed commitment to prayer.
Are you like me? Do you constantly fight the temptation to rush into the office, fire up your PC and get right to work? Why not put an object in front of your monitor...maybe that bottle of oil from last fall's worship time...to remind you to start the day with prayer?
By the way, do you remember this prayer card we used last fall? I'm keeping mine in the car to remind me to pray for each of you during my drive to work. I sense that God brought healing and renewal to our staff through this prayer tool a few months ago. Let's begin 2015 praying for one another, that we would discern God's voice and be vessels of his blessing for others.
