A PRAYER FOR 2024
It seems like last week I was writing a post about the arrival of 2023. Somehow, the days, weeks, and months have slipped by, and 2024 has arrived. The past twelve months have been filled with major news stories that have impacted much of the world. The war between Russia and Ukraine continues. Israel is still fighting Hamas. And as of this writing, tensions in the Red Sea are rising because of the Houthi Rebels.
Here at Grace Baptist Church, 2023 was filled with the typical mixture of joy, excitement, sadness, and loss. Goals have been achieved. Spiritual victories have been won. Sadly, hardships have also come in the loss of loved ones, marital conflict, unemployment, and the stresses of daily living. As always, none of us can predict what the new year will bring. There is, however, one thing we all know—the next twelve months will require a lot of prayer.
What will Grace Baptist Church’s role be in the coming months? Again, it is difficult to answer this question with any degree of certainty. So rather than seeking specific solutions to questions we can’t answer, let’s focus on what we can do: we can pray for our church and for one another.
As I consider the hours, days, weeks, and months ahead, here is my prayer for Grace Baptist Church:
Dear Heavenly Father,
I pray Your hand of grace and mercy will continue to rest upon our church as we faithfully proclaim the glorious gospel in 2024. Bless the words our mouths speak and the acts of love our hands perform. May our ministry bring forth an abundance of gospel fruit for Your glory. Bless every effort this year, whether big or small, according to Your will. Save the lost. Rescue the perishing. Draw us closer to You and make us more like Your Son.
I pray for healing of the sick and for strength for those caring for them. So many of our people are entering the new year with health concerns weighing on their hearts. Whether your healing hand cures their infirmities or not, may each situation bring glory to Your holy name. For those who are caring for loved ones, may Your almighty hand strengthen them when they feel overwhelmed and weary. May Your Holy Spirit encourage the fainthearted and comfort the ones who will mourn the loss of someone they love in the months ahead. In our own strength, we are incapable of caring for those we love. We need You, oh Lord, to carry us through the hard days when they come.
I pray for the protection of families. For the marriages that are struggling, I pray for repentance and restoration. For the ones entering this new year united and strong, I pray they will remain steadfast in their battle against the evil one. May each family keep their eyes fixed upon You as they rest in Your glorious grace. I pray each married person keeps their marital covenant in the forefront of their mind and remains faithful. Give parents wisdom as they instruct their children in Your word and keep each child in Your divine care. Open the hearts of our children this year to the truths of Your word and plant them deep in their hearts. There are no perfect parents, but may we faithfully reflect Your goodness, mercy, grace, and kindness in our homes.
I pray those who are single remain pure and find peace and contentment in Your holiness. Guide those who are seeking a college education to the right school fit for them. For those seeking a career or working in one, give them wisdom, strength, and a longing to obey Your commandments. May each teenager and young adult maintain a testimony that draws others to You. Direct their hearts toward what pleases you and protect them from the schemes of the devil. This world is filled with temptation. Keep all of us spiritually prepared to resist temptation when it knocks on the door of our hearts.
I pray You will keep us humble. Whether it be in times of trial or triumph, may we remember Your grace rests on the meek and poor in spirit. When pride creeps into our hearts, use Your word to convict us of our sin and remind us that You alone are God. May humility guard our tongues and keep us from harsh, cruel, vindictive, and insulting speech. Allow us the privilege of serving others with kindness and grace that reflects Your holy character. Keep us from the selfishness, conflict, and pettiness that flows from arrogant hearts. We know You resist the proud; therefore, we long to stay humble. When You humble us, may we repent of our sin and reorient our hearts toward You.
I pray You use each and every one of us as salt and light in this dark and fallen world. Wherever we live, work, and play in our community, may we stand forth as a source of salt and light to those who seek the truth. In a hopeless world in desperate need of biblical love, peace, and contentment, may our lives serve as beacons of hope to those who are lost, broken, and in pain. Start by using Your word to mold us into the image of Your Son. Then, with hearts desperate to serve You, provide opportunities to proclaim Your great name to those You place in our paths. Apart from Your grace, we will lose our saltiness and our lights will be dim. Empower us. Illumine us. And use us as instruments in Your redeeming hands.
I pray our church family will remain bold and unified as we proclaim the gospel in 2024. Please Lord, protect our church from the devil’s flaming arrows as they try to bring destruction upon us. May we rest in Your comforting arms and find protection beneath your mighty wings. Unite our hearts together as one in the gospel and protect us from frivolous debates and harmful divisions. A divided church cannot stand strong, and unity does not come naturally to us. We know Your people are stronger together, but we are prone to selfishness that so quickly pulls us apart. We ask you, oh Lord, to keep each of us focused on what matters most, and keep us committed to this local assembly of believers. Draw those who feel alone and isolated into the body and may they find a loving family of believers here at Grace. Bring the lost into our midst so they may hear and see the beauty of being adopted into Your family. Unite our hearts together and accomplish great things through our humble service to You.
Lord, we have no idea what will come our way this year, but we commit 2024 to You. May Your will be done this year in our individual lives and in our church. Above all else, may Your holy name receive all the glory.
Amen.