My Prayers For 2020

There was so much that needed bathed in prayer over the last year. Health issues, family problems, unexpected emergencies and long-standing concerns have been on my heart and mind throughout 2019. No doubt 2020 will bring issues of its own over the next 12 months.

What I don’t want to do in the new year is pray a bunch of words and assume everything will be ok. I don’t want to say good morning to God and then catch up with Him again in the evening. And I definitely don’t want to stop praying altogether because I’m too busy trying to work things out on my own ... or stop praying because I’m just plain too busy.

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. Matthew 6:5-8.

Using Jesus’ words as my example for prayer, my quiet time with the Lord has to be the foundation of my prayer life. The blessing of this passage is that God already knows what I need. He’s just waiting for me to talk to Him about it and agree with Him, not convince Him to agree with me. 

So in 2020, I pray ...

* Not that we will never have health problems, but that through them we will learn to trust and rely on God alone.

* Not that our relationships will run smoothly, but that we can reflect the love of God with everyone we love.

* Not that we will not experience trials and tribulations, but that God will grow us and shape us during them.

* Not that we will be rich or prosperous, but that we will be good stewards of all God has given us.

* Not that the government will suddenly be turned around, but that our leaders will hear God’s voice and direction as they run our country.

* Not that the world will just one day be peaceful, but that we can bring God’s peace to the world.

And I pray that you will join me in these prayers for the new year. God knows our hearts and He knows what is needed in this exact moment. That confidence in Him is what will draw us back to our prayer closets in the days, weeks and months to come.