Loving and Living Father

Loving and Living Father, “You are great and do wondrous deeds; You alone are God” (Psalm 86:10. Truly, “Your way, O God is holy; what god is great like our God?” (Psalm 77:13). You alone are God. There is none like You. There is none besides You. You are “God in heaven above and on earth below; there is no other” (Deuteronomy 4:39).

You Are in a Distinguished Class

You are in a distinguished class all by Yourself. You have been with us. You have cared for us. You have watched over us. You have helped us. You have defended us. You have been compassionate to us. You have been good to us. You have loved us. You have shown us Your great mercies. You have been patient with us. You have been gracious to us. Your forgiveness abounded for us. You have shown us Your great lovingkindness in 2020.

You Have Blessed Us

Yes, You have blessed us. You have Yourself fought on our behalf in all our spiritual battles. Indeed, in Your great faithfulness, You have watched over us and carried us, just as a man carries his son (see Deuteronomy 1:31b) through a difficult and distressing year.  Though 2020 was difficult and distressing, yet You have not forsaken us nor forgotten us. Indeed, to You be all the glory! We give thanks and praise to You for all the good that You did for us in 2020. Blessed be Your name! “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name give glory because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth” (Psalm 115:1).

We Are Very Privileged

Now, in Your grace and goodness, You have brought us into a brand New Year – 2021! We humbly acknowledge that it is not because of our righteousness that we are very privileged to see the very first day of the very first month of the New Year of 2021. It’s all because of Your unconditional and unlimited love for us. And, it will be because of this unfailing love that You will sustain us throughout this New Year. When 2020 began with great pomp and pageantry, we did not know that COVID-19 would wreak havoc in the nations. But You knew of it all along. In fact, You have complete knowledge of all the events, crisis, conflicts and circumstances that will befall us, not only in January 2021, but also in all of 2021. You already know the end from the very beginning of 2021.

You Are Fully Aware

Yes, You are fully aware of the way it will begin and how it will end. A great spiritual awakening, renewal and revival may burst forth in the nations in 2021. You know far in advance if that will be happening in 2021. It’s likely that economic crisis, political upheaval and unrest in the nations and natural disasters can occur in this New Year. You are fully aware if their occurrence will be a reality. Indeed, You alone, fully knows what this New Year will be like and what will dominate the news in the nations. This is because, You are the all-knowing God. You are the Lord of the nations. You are the Controller of all the affairs of the universe. You are “the ruler of the kings of the earth” (Revelation 1:5b). You are truly the One in charge and in command and in control of all creation.

Faithful and Forgiving Father

It is therefore, with surrendered and submissive hearts that we dedicate the New Year to You, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Faithful and forgiving Father, please, gladly and graciously accomplish all that concerns our families, our friends and fellow-believers, and us; Israel – Your chosen and cherished people, Your Church – Your called-out and consecrated people, and Your world – made up of all the nations and lands You created under the heavens – for the praise of Your great and glorious name.

Lord of All and Our Loving Father

Lord of all and our loving Father, we look to You in humility and hope to sustain, strengthen, and shepherd us in the New Year of 2021. We accept as coming from Your good and gracious hand, all that You will permit to occur in our personal lives in 2021. We acknowledge that, in every situation, You know what is good for us, and that You have a purpose for everything You allow in our lives. We admit that even though we do not know the future, You know and hold the future.

We Appreciate You

We affirm that You always want the very best for us, not only in this life, but also in the life soon to come. Oh Lord, our God, we appreciate You for Your unending and unfailing love for us. We adore You, for who You are – “compassionate and gracious slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished” (Exodus 34:6-7). We pray all these things in the precious and powerful name of our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!