Closing Prayer for 2009

During the church service we attended this morning at Trinity Bible in Cedar Falls, Iowa, our Pastor, John Miller prayed this prayer from 'The Book of Uncommon Prayer' by Joseph Parker. As my husband & I held hands with heads bowed listening to the words in reverence, we cried together. After the service, Rob approached Pastor John for a copy of the prayer because it summed up so perfectly how the Lord has led us through this difficult year by His infinite grace and mercy.

Almighty God, just as we began the year in your name and in your strength, so we close it to your praise. You’ve done great things for us, and because of that, we’re glad. You’ve led us by a way that we knew not and by paths we had not known.

You’ve been eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame. You’ve cared for us with all the tender care of love. You have not forsaken us even for a moment. With everlasting mercies you’ve surrounded us and made us strong. When we feared, we heard the voice of Christ. When we wondered what would happen, you sent strength and peace.

Because of You, we can trust the Lord with our whole heart, and we need take no more care of our own life that we may save it. He that saves his life shall lose it, and he that loses his life in the love of Christ shall find it.

God, give us the gift of faith, so that we may believe all of this holy testimony, and so that we might conduct our life along these sacred lines.

We want to be quiet, resigned, perfectly tranquil. We want to rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him, and as for our heart’s desire we know that You will grant it to us.

You’ve led us by ways that startled us, and you’ve brought us right up to cliffs that have terrified us, yet by your good hand you’ve set us in Your house, given us a new song, and caused our face to be turned towards heaven.

In our houses we’ve seen You. You’ve laid bread on our table, common when we touch it, but sacramental when you break it and give it to us. By Your grace, we have not eaten it carelessly, neither for physical sustenance nor for spiritual.

God, this year is nearly over and it will soon vanish. God be merciful to us sinners. Where we’ve done wrong, let the time past be enough to bring it to an end.

Give us consciousness of your love—not so much to throw us into despair, but enough to lead to the cross where all sin may be forgiven. If we’ve done anything in your strength and in the interest of your kingdom, may You be praised for the opportunity and for the power.

If we’ve been unkind to one another let all bitterness and wrath, and anger and clamor cease now. Help us to love our enemies that we may forgive them. Give us confidence in You, increase our love toward the cross, and rule us more completely by the ministry of your Holy Spirit.

Grant all men wisdom, direction, comfort in sorrow; and show them where the fountain of life is. Help your followers to withdraw often to be refreshed by the rest and the communion that are found in Christ. Be in our lives—each one of us.

Our time on earth is a dwindling quantity, and yet our eternity in heaven is still endless because of Christ. Help us to live the rest of our time here in pureness and gentleness and usefulness, and may men take knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus and learned of Him.

Be in our homes and make them habitations of the just; go with us into our workplaces and into our cities and into our culture that we may keep a wise and understanding heart amid all the temptation and distraction of this world.

In the time of sorrow may we show Christian confidence, and in the hour of loss may we be enabled to fall back upon the riches that we treasure in Christ Jesus.

Hear your servants in these things. These supplications and praises are poured out at the foot the cross. Send us answers of peace. In Christ’s name I pray.

Adapted from: 'The Book of Uncommon Prayer: Joseph Parker’s Pulpit Pleadings.'