Heading into a New Year and How to Pray for Us

Lamentations 3:21 – 24, “Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! I say, ‘The LORD is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in Him.’”
 
As we come to the end of one year and transition into a new one, I draw hope and encouragement from this Old Testament Lamentations passage. A little background to why this is significant may help us understand it. The author, likely Jeremiah, has been writing about how devastating the invasion and destruction of their land and cities has been. About a third of the people have been killed, a third have been taken as captive prisoners and a third are left in their abject poverty to try picking up the pieces. This is the backdrop to the book of Lamentations. And here in the middle of this heavy, hard, lament of a book is this declaration of hope in God! In the midst of such difficult days the writer finds his hope in the Lord. He knows the Lord, and that the Lord will not abandon him, and will pour out His mercies. Like the psalmist in Psalm 43 he says, “Hope in God!”.
 
Entering into the new year, may we too put our hope in Him alone. May the Lord be our portion! May we not lose heart in our dependence upon Him! How is your heart? How is your determination to follow the Lord in the days ahead, whatever may come?
 
This brings me to tomorrow’s services. It is all about rededicating ourselves afresh to Him as individuals and as a church. Please don’t miss out! We will worship, pray, and look afresh this week at His Word for our lives! I am really looking forward to it!
 
Would you pray with me for tomorrow’s services?
A few other areas to pray with me in:

• Our new study in Ezekiel begins next week.
• The Annual Members Meeting is in a few weeks (Sunday, the 14th at 4). We will look to approve two new elders and a new budget.
• Finishing the year-end of giving in the black. We are currently about 5% ($32,877) behind budget. Pray that we will finish without a shortfall.
• We begin a new small group semester on the 16th with nineteen groups to choose from. Pray that each person at Summit will faithfully engage in a group this semester.

I need your prayers. I look forward to growing in the Lord together. I am eager to pray and watch Him at work in our midst church. He is our portion. Our hope is in the Lord!
 
 
 
Held By His Abundant Grace,
 
 
 

Pastor John