My Prayers for 2009

I pray that I am open to God’s revelation of His purpose in my job/career.
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.” Psalm 32:8

I pray that I am hopeful, and not cynical or bitter.
“A cynic is not merely one who reads bitter lessons from the past, he is one who is prematurely disappointed in the future.” –Sidney J. Harris

I pray that God removes all the barriers in my life and my heart that keep Him from moving powerfully in my life.
“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation – if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.” Colossians 1:21-23

“The more we let God take us over, the more truly ourselves we become – because he made us. He invented all the different people that you and I were intended to be….It is when I turn to Christ, when I give up myself to His personality, that I first begin to have a real personality of my own.” –C.S. Lewis

I pray that I will rest in the Lord’s promises for me.
“And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” Matthew 21:22

“For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.” Psalm 33:4

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10

I pray that I will focus on relationships and loving people.
“God, whether I get anything else done today, I want to make sure that I spend time loving you and loving other people – because that’s what life is all about. I don’t want to waste this day.” Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life

I pray that God continually transforms my character each day.
“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18

I pray that I can see God’s miracles in each moment.
“There are only two ways to live your life – one is as though nothing is a miracle, the other is as though everything is a miracle.” –Albert Einstein

And I pray that when I re-visit this list next January, I am astounded by the work of the Lord in my life and by what He has done through me during one short year. Because His work in me during the past 12 months has been nothing short of miraculous, my prayers are bigger and bolder this year. Because I know He has designed me to dream big and to place my hope and faith in Him.

May you be blessed with a prayerful start to this year!
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12

P.S. I took the photo above at the Colosseum in Rome, Italy in November 2006.