Exiting 2023 and heading for 2024, where do I find my mind focused?
Psalm 139:1-18 O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue … you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me … Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? … How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.
Consider the passion of God for me. He searches for me. He intimately knows me. There is nowhere for me to flee. There is no possible hiding place. No, regardless of what I think, where I go, what I say, and what I do, My Creator, Judge, and Savior is always present, watching, and acquainted with all my ways. For some, this might be bad news, but for me, because I am made righteous by the Son, filled with the Spirit, adopted by the Father, and betrothed to Jesus Christ, God’s thoughts towards me are always precious and voluminous. Yes, according to his inspired scriptures, God’s happy thoughts towards and about me are greater in number than the sands of the seas.
Therefore, what for what do I desire in 2024. I want to reciprocate the affection, attention, and adoration. I want to have a Christlike passion towards God. Experientially, intimately, I want to draw near to God as he has already drawn near to me. I want to know Him — more, much more!
Do you find yourself similarly interested? If so, why not end 2023 and begin 2024 with the same prayer:
Father, Son, and Spirit,
We come to you on this day — Sunday, December 31, 2023. We are asking for something special, for something good, for something that is in accordance with your revealed will. Surely, you are smiling as we are asking for something that delights you.
We first ask that you might help us hear afresh and better believe your unfathomable grace toward us — that you have covered all our sins, clothed us with divine merit, and are our guardian, friend, and passionate lover.
Then, we are asking that you might make us desire to diligently search and experientially know you. Please, give us the internal affection that causes us to grow deeper in our knowledge, fascination, and experiential intimacy with you. Make us hungry. Make us thirsty. Make us passionate seekers of you.
Then, after freshly experiencing intimate communion withy you, we ask that you might make us enjoy you more as we walk in grace in holiness. Yes, whether we sleep, arise, desire, think, speak, and act, we want to realize your holy presence. And because you are so lovely and lovable, we want to love you, worship you, and obey your good precepts with greater internal desire and external consistency.
O God, when we look back at 2023, we are so thankful for your never-shifting intimacy. Despite our always drifting intimacy and transgressions, you have never withdrawn. You are not the God who responds to our self-worship with separation.
O God, as we look ahead to 2024, we are so thankful for your never-shifting intimacy. Whatever befalls us, whatever we desire, whatever we do, you are not a fickle lover. Faithful you will be despite our faithlessness.
However, though we confess we cannot get closer to you and though we confess we cannot get farther from you, we do confess we desire greater zeal and experiential intimacy. Lord, this is our year-end longing and year-beginning plea.
With growing love we offer this prayer, trust in your sovereignty, and commit ourselves to your unfathomable grace.
Sincerely,
Your beloved child and betrothed bride.
Unfathomable Grace 