Living and Loving Father, with glad and grateful hearts, we bless You for bringing us into the month of December 2024! It’s all because of Your unceasing and unchanging love. Yes, a love that’s so unrelenting and unwavering in seeking Your very best for us – both in this life and in the life soon to come! To You, O Lord, be all the glory and honor for being with us and blessing us to this very day! Surely, Your goodness and mercy have pursued us (see Psalms 23:6) all through November 2024, till this very day. Moreover, Your hand of mercy has been upon us.

O LORD, our God, who is like You among the gods?

O LORD, our God, who is like You among the gods? So loving! So caring! And yes, so faithfully committed to accomplishing what concerns us (see Psalm 138:8)! We say, there is none like You, O LORD! Absolutely, none! You are exalted far above all gods. Indeed, You are in a distinguished class all by Yourself. With great confidence and conviction of heart, You made this known to Pharaoh.  “I will send all My plagues on you and your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth” (Exodus 9:15; NASB). Indeed; “From everlasting to everlasting, You are God” (Psalms 90:2b; NASB). With Your love, You have cared for us and carried us all through the year 2024, to its very last month.

What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me?

Indeed, the words of the psalmist are appropriate here! “What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me?” (Psalms 116:12; NASB). The psalmist’s response then, is also our response today. “I shall lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of Lord. I shall pay my vows to the Lord, Oh may it be in the presence of all His people” (Psalms 116:13-14; NASB). Yes, in the presence of all Your people, LORD, we extol You for all Your benefits toward us in 2024.

Loving Father, many are Your benefits toward us

Truly, Living and Loving Father, many are Your benefits toward us in the year 2024. You cherished us! Cared, so thoughtfully and tenderly for us! Carried us a man carries his son (see Deuteronomy 1:3)! Counseled us with Your eye upon us (see Psalms 32:8)! Cheered up our soul when it was downcast! Calmed the fears in our hearts! Caused Your face to shine upon us (see Numbers 6:25)! Created a clean heart within us (see Psalms 51:10)! Consecrated us for Your service! Cautioned us of lurking dangers on our path in life. Changed us from one degree of glory to another (see 2 Corinthians 3:18b)! Conformed us more into Christlikeness! Came to us even in our failures (see John 20-21)! Chastened us in Your love, when we faltered! Corrected us when we erred! Comforted and consoled us in times of sorrow and loss! Confused and conquered our adversaries!

You really want Your very best for us

Yes, these, and much more, are Your benefits toward us in the year 2024, which is passing away. O Lord, these benefits and blessings were done for us out of Your unconditional and unchanging love. This is because You really want Your very best for us. Indeed, You want us to experience and enjoy Your very best, both in this age and in the age soon to come. As such, our Lord Jesus made this blessed request of You. “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24; NASB).

Indeed, what a blessing beyond belief!

Indeed, what a blessing beyond belief! Our destiny, our destination, our dwelling place, is to be with our Lord, the Glorified and Victorious Christ of God! Surely, LORD, eternity itself will not suffice to count our blessings and name them one by one, to see what You’ve done for us! Moreover, we cannot fathom all that is awaiting us in glory. For Your word declares: “No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9; ESV).

Living and Loving Father, we extol You

Therefore, Living and Loving Father, we extol You for all Your lovingkindness and faithfulness shown to us till this very day. Also, we exalt You. For You declared: “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalms 46:10b; NASB). And Yes, our hearts exult in You, our LORD and our God, for all Your great goodness stored up for those who revere You (see Psalms 31:19). Indeed: “How precious are Your thoughts to [us], O God! How vast is the sum of them! If [we] should count them, they would outnumber the sand” (Psalms 139:17-18a; NASB).

We humbly and heartily commit our cause to You

Because of all Your lovingkindness and faithfulness shown to us, we humbly and heartily commit our cause to You for the rest of this year. Please, Loving Father, accomplish what concerns our families, friends and us in December 2024. Also, perform Your appointed purposes and plans for Israel – Your selected and special people on earth. As well, carry out Your divine desires and designs for Your Church – Your saved and set apart believers. Also, be pleased to fulfill Your intentions for Your world. A world that’s made up of all the nations and the lands You created under the heavens.

We thank You for being the Lord of the nations

We thank You for being the Lord of the nations. Also, we give thanks to You for Your rule and reign in the nations. Indeed, every country is under Your sovereign and special rule and reign. Even the nations that are regarded as “closed countries” to the gospel are under Your sovereign and special rule and reign. Moreover, Your sovereign and special rule and reign over the nations is administered in Your unfailing love. This love, motivated You to send Your only begotten Son into our world, so that whoever believes in Him, will not perish, but have eternal life (see John 3:16).

This December, Your love for the world will be front and center

Living and Loving Father, this December, Your love for the world will be front and center. Because during this month, we celebrate the Birth of Your only begotten Son, only one of His kind. Yes, it’s true that we do not know the exact date of His Birth (You know it). But we do know with certainty that You foretold His Birth (see Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2-3; Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:26-38). Also, we know with certainty that Your prophecies of His Birth were fulfilled at Your appointed place and time (see Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:1-40; Galatians 4:4).

We magnify You for foretelling the Birth of Jesus and fulfilling it

O Loving Father, with glad and grateful hearts, we magnify You for foretelling the Birth of Jesus and fulfilling it. For You are not a man that You should lie, nor a son of man that You should repent. O LORD, You do what You say. And You make good what You have spoken (see Numbers 23:19). Because You always keep Your word, we pray that the nations will embrace Your love for them, by believing in Jesus Christ. Especially, in this season of celebrating His Birth. For You will keep Your word to anyone who believes in Jesus Christ, Your unique Son. That person will not perish, but will most assuredly have eternal life just as promised in John 3:16.

We pray for the people of the nations

Furthermore, we pray for the people of the nations that Jesus will reveal Himself to them. Also, we pray that You Lord, will open their hearts to receive the gospel message as You did for Lydia in Philippi (see Acts 16:14). As well, grant that Your Holy Spirit will convict them of their sin of unbelief (see John 16:8-11). Also, grant that Your Spirit will convict them of their desperate need for Jesus in their lives. And please, Lord, grant them repentance that leads to life as You granted it to Cornelius and his relatives and close friends at Caesarea (see Acts 10:1-46; 11:18).

Living Father, we lift up Your Church to You

And now, “Living Father” (John 6:57), we lift up Your Church to You, especially in this season of celebrating Your Son’s Birth. What an opportune time You’ve given Your Church to speak of Christ, even as Simeon and Anna did at the First Christmas (see Luke 2:25-38)! We earnestly pray for a renewed passion for You Yourself among believers in Your Church in all the nations. Also, we beseech You; revive Your Church in such a time as this, for revival comes from You (see Psalms 85:6). Since repentance among Your people precedes revival, we pray for sincere repentance for Your Church. Also, “restore us to You, O LORD, that we may be restored” (Lamentations 5:22a; NASB). Also, restore Christian families – restoring the wounded “hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of children to the fathers” (Malachi 4:6; NASB).

We pray for Israel

Living and Loving Father, since Israel is “from whom is the Christ according to the flesh” (Romans 9:5b; NASB), we pray for Israel. Our prayer to You for them, in such a time as this, is for their salvation (see Romans 10:1). “For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:3; NASB). O grant that they will believe in Jesus Christ and the sufficiency of His sacrifice on their behalf. For Your word says: “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:4; NASB).

Holy Spirit, enable them to confess with their mouth Jesus as Lord

Therefore, Holy Spirit, enable them to confess with their mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in their heart that You raised Him from the dead, and they will be saved (see Romans 10:9). Loving Father, we bless You that the salvation of Israel is Your heart’s desire. This is because, You are “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9b; NASB). Moreover, You said: “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will You die, O house of Israel?” (Ezekiel 33:11; NASB). O Holy Spirit, enable the house of Israel today, to turn from their evil ways! Spirit of God, touch their hearts afresh to trust in Jesus, their Redeemer and the reason for the season!

Israel is still at war with Hamas of Gaza

Also, Israel is still at war with Hamas of Gaza. We thank You Lord for the U.S. – brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah on November 26, 2024. May Your powerful hand prevail over this ceasefire, so that it will be honored by both sides! We now pray for the cessation of Israel’s war with Hamas before more precious lives will be lost. For it is written of You: “He makes wars to cease to the ends of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spears in two; He burns the chariots with fire” (Psalms 46:9; NASB). Also, we pray to You. Please, bring the hostility between Israel and Iran to an end, as only You can! Specifically, we pray for Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel. Please Holy Spirit, enable him to sincerely humble himself before “Adonai Elohim” in this hour of distress in his life and Israel’s life.

We plead with You to bring the Russian – Ukraine War to an end

As well, O “Lord of all the earth” (Joshua 3:11), we plead with You to bring the Russian – Ukraine War to an end! For, it has resulted in the loss of thousands of precious lives of soldiers and civilians. Indeed, we acknowledge to You that without Your swift and special intervention, more lives, in both countries, will be lost. Therefore, Your swift and special intervention is desperately needed. Please turn the hearts of Presidents Putin of Russia and Zelensky of Ukraine to where You wish (see Proverbs 21:1), to end this war.

The people of Ghana are preparing for presidential elections

Also, the people of Ghana (my country of origin), a beacon of democracy in Africa, are preparing for presidential and parliamentary elections on December 7, 2024. Father, we are deeply grateful for Your hand of mercy upon the nation of Ghana. Indeed, we do not take for granted the peace the country of Ghana has been enjoying for decades. The peace Ghana enjoys today, and in past decades, is Your gracious gift to us. We don’t deserve it at all. But because You are a merciful and gracious Father, You have willingly bestowed peace and tranquility upon Ghana. We acknowledge this with a glad and grateful heart. And humbly ask that You forgive us our many sins against You! Also, we pray against the spirit of darkness, destruction, and division during the presidential and parliamentary elections on December 7, 2024. May You fulfill Proverbs 16:33 for Ghana on December 7, 2024! “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD” (Proverbs 16:33; NASB). We thank You ahead of time, for a peaceful and transparent elections – free of deliberate, disgraceful, and dishonoring practices to favor one candidate!

During this festive season of celebrating Christ’s Birth, many will be suffering

And now, Living and Loving Father, during this festive season of celebrating Christ’s Birth, many will be suffering and struggling! We think of the vulnerable children! Especially, those in war-torn regions, such as Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Ukraine, and Russia. We also think of the poor widows! The homeless! The hopeless! The hurting! The jobless! The shut-ins! The abandoned ones! The depressed! The destitute! The downcast! We thank You for Your love for each of them! Indeed, You want the very best for them, not only in this life, but also in the life soon to come. That is why, in Your love, You sent Your only begotten Son into the world (see John 3:16). Therefore, open their hearts to believe in Jesus Christ. For He is Your indescribable gift to them, in this life and in the life soon to come!

You are the God who is aware of their sufferings

Also, open their spiritually blind eyes to see that Jesus is the way and the truth and the life (see John 14:6). Since You are the God who is aware of their sufferings (see Exodus 3:7b), please remember them and act graciously on their behalf. Redeem them out of all their troubles! Regard their lowly estate and grant them relief in their sufferings! Refresh their weary souls with the hopeful and joyful news of Christ’s Birth!

We’re so grateful for all You have done for us

Indeed, Loving Father, we’re so grateful to You for all You have done for us. Specifically, we’re grateful for caring for us and carrying us all throughout the year 2024 till this very day. Furthermore, we are confident that You who’ve begun this good work in us, will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (see Philippians 1:6). It is with such confidence that we pray all this in the blessed and beloved name of Jesus Christ! For we know that You are “able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20a; ESV). Amen!