New Year, New Us; Psalm 80, Proverbs 30

May the mumbling commence!

Welcome to 2013!  A new year stretches out before us – filled with challenges and opportunity.  What will we do with the gloomy times this year?  What will we do with the glorious times this year?  How will we strengthen relationship and erode away fear and misunderstanding?  How will we become even brighter lights for Christ Jesus?

These are essential questions to be asking and attempting to answer from the depths of our attitudes to the breadth of our actions – and everything in between.  May this be the year of being that causes the fruit of doing.  Let us embrace the cycle of gloom and doom that permeates the Scriptures and seek the Lord at all times.  Read from Psalm eighty:

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,

You who lead Joseph like a flock;

You who dwell between the cherubim, shine forth! 

Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh,

Stir up Your strength,

And come and save us! 

Restore us, O God;

Cause Your face to shine,

And we shall be saved! 

O Lord God of hosts,

How long will You be angry

Against the prayer of Your people? 

You have fed them with the bread of tears,

And given them tears to drink in great measure. 

You have made us a strife to our neighbors,

And our enemies laugh among themselves. 

Restore us, O God of hosts;

Cause Your face to shine,

And we shall be saved! (Verses 1-7)

We petition you, O Lord.  Give ear to our prayers… prayers to lead us and dwell with us.  Shine forth so that we may see and follow.  We need your strength to be stirred to save us.  Our salvation depends entirely upon you. 

Restore us.  Shine Your face upon us.  Forgive us.  Take away the just desserts for our sins and iniquities.  Show us Your amazing mercy and grace.

You, O God, are our Shepherd.  You are stronger than any host of humanity.  You are the source of our light.  May we shine unto the entire world.  And may we learn to be content with our lives – for You give us exactly what we need.  Like it says in Proverbs chapter thirty:

Two things I request of You

(Deprive me not before I die): 

Remove falsehood and lies far from me;

Give me neither poverty nor riches –

Feed me with the food allotted to me; 

Lest I be full and deny You,

And say, "Who is the LORD?"

Or lest I be poor and steal,

And profane the name of my God. (Verses 7-9)

Help us to be transparent so that Your glory and light shines through us.  Give us only what we need.  Poverty and riches only tempt us to deny our Lord God. 

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out