"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."
-Paul, Romans 8:18
Dear Jesus,
Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Lord, I don't give You as much honor as You deserve. You are an amazing God. I pray that we on Earth can give You the honor and the glory that You deserve. Even through this crazy year of 2020, Your power has been displayed. I pray that whatever You want to happen will happen, and I pray that we will be surrounded by Your power, glory, and love.
Give us this day our daily bread
Lord, there are so many people right now who are starving, shelter-less, naked, lonely, and dying. My family has been blessed by You, and I pray that You will continue blessing us. I pray that the people who are in need will get the supplies they need and that they will know it comes from You. I pray that people may find their rest, their comfort, their joy in You during this hard time in our lives.
and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us,
Lord, please forgive me of all my sins. I worry about the future instead of trusting in You and praying. I argue with my siblings over the silliest of things and I snap back at my parents instead of trying to bring peace into our lives. I don't focus on You- when was the last time I read my Bible or sat down to pray? I pray that You will forgive me of these sins and help me to no longer commit them. And I pray that You will help me forgive everyone who is going to sin against me and that has sinned against me.
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Lord, after my last sin-party, I asked You to never let me do something like that again. Please don't allow me to sin- or anyone- and don't put me in a situation where I could sin. Not only that, but I pray that You will deliver us from evil. Keep me and my family safe. Don't let harm come on us.
For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and ever.
Lord, You will reign forever. We know a time will come when all Christians will be persecuted, but even then, Your power will be shown, and You will receive the glory. I pray that my life will reflect Your power and give You glory.
Finally, Lord, I pray for the new year. 2020 did not go as I expected, or many people, for that matter. We faced hard times. Many people were lonely, depressed, anxious. Many people lost jobs, businesses, property, lives. I know many people have strayed from You and their faith has been shaken. I pray that this new year will give people hope, joy, and dreams. I pray that America and the whole world can recover from the upheaval of our world. I pray that relationships can be reconciled, families will be brought together. I pray that people whose lives were ripped apart will be able to put the pieces back together. But, most importantly, I pray that we can come back to You. I pray that those who have strayed and backslidden would renew their relationship with You and rededicate their lives to serving You. I pray that those who have never decided to follow You will. Let 2021 be a year full of new Christians. And I pray that the Christians You are calling to serve You in new ways will be able to sacrifice their comfort and their wants to follow You joyfully. We- everyone- has suffered this year, be it big or small. But I pray that we can remember this time as a time that You were working on us and preparing us for Your purposes. Let Your glory be revealed in us this coming year.
Please, let 2021 be a year of new beginnings- not just an ending.
Amen.
Amen.
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Word Count: 710
The words in italics are Matthew 6:9-13, also known as the Lord's Prayer.
I just really felt like 2021 needed a prayer. Or, I felt like I needed to pray for 2021, along with hundreds of other Christians. Happy New Year!
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