A New Day

Dear Friends,

This is a new day. You woke up this morning, and this day possesses such a great deal of potential for you, for your life, and for your future. Each day should be greeted with joy and thanksgiving. Each day should be viewed as a day to explore and see all the wonderful things God has done and is doing in your life. This is a day to renew your relationship with God by talking to him. Prayer doesn't have to be formal and stiff, regimented or formulaic. Prayer, in my view, has its best form as conversation. You may feel like God doesn't "talk back", but I know that he does, just not audibly in your ears. Sometimes God talks back in the words of others, in the random thoughts that jump into your head, or in the pages of scripture that you read following your prayers. But I find that I am talking to God, mostly casually, throughout the day. We have a friendly and comfortable relationship, in which God reminds me of his presence with me frequently throughout the day, and I respond by giving thanks, or lifting up someone who needs prayer, or asking God for guidance in the decsions I have to make.
This is a new year. Forget New Years resolutions. Well, in fact, most of us already have. But it is a new year, a chance to do some things differently, and it doesn't have to start right on the first of January. Any time this year, we can begin new patterns, start new habits, break old "bad" habits, or just decide to do more good things than we have in the past. Volunteer more. Read more. Worship more. Give more. A new year is a gift from God. It is a cycle of fresh starts that is at the core of Holy Communion. We get a chance to start over, to do better, to realize our potential, to deepen our faith.
This is a new day in politics as well. Though I love rhetoric, I am old enough to be skeptical enough that I will take a watch and see attitude. BUT, if our new President can be true to his ideals and to his word, then we hopefully will be witnesses to a sea-change in politics as usual. I pray for bi-partisanship. I pray for the end of bickering across the aisle. I pray that congress and the Senate will work as one to help the President solve the problems we face in our nation. I do know this: I will be praying for our new President. I will pray for him everyday. And just as many in my congregation pray for me and for my leadership everyday, I will pray for him and for his leadership. I will pray, because I see it at work in my life, and in the blessings God is showering upon our church. So keep praying for me and pray for President Obama as well. Pray because it works. Pray because it brings hope. And pray because it is one the best things we can do to help our country, and ultimately to help ourselves. I pray that God will bless President Obama with the wisdom of Solomon, the patience of Job, the courage of Elijah, the compassion of Jesus and the tenacity and conviction of Paul.