Urban Abbey's New Year's Rockin' Prayer

OH MY GOD 

The New Year is coming

The page is turning, it’s scheduled. It’s planned

Dick Clark’s legacy will be rocking,

the ball will be dropping, the fireworks popping and 

somehow numeric novelty eye-glasses will make sense.

The lists of top songs, top movies and top news stories will all be named, 

like a countdown from 100 or 50 or 10 until at last we all arrive at number One. 

The person of the year, the color of the year, the word of the year 

and 

new planners will all come out.

And we, so hopelessly devoted to the new, might just be tempted to jump right in

To a new subscription, a new app, a new gym, a new diet, a new dress, a new drug…

Eager to buy six weeks of wall pilates or the pure Moroccan olive oil or all new light bulbs

As though this is all we need to change literally everything.

The New Year is coming 

The page is turning, it’s scheduled. It’s planned.

Loving God, help us take it all in. 

To be just who we are, just as we are called to be. 

Making our own lists of top tens and celebrating the people who made our year,

Naming our grief and hurts, our longings and dreams

Pausing to notice the needs of the world and the call of our being.

Save us from the new and easy, 

the quick and superficial.

The new year is coming.

The page is turning, it’s scheduled, my God help plan; 

setting intentions 

root in love

Nourished into whole-hearted, life-giving resolutions.  

Loving God

Help us turn the page in grace and gratitude. 

The best and bravest of our hearts longing to flourish

The harm and hurts eager to heal. 

God of all seasons. 

The page is turning. 

Grant us courage to show up, rooted in growth that is sustainable and real. 

Amen.