Reaching to What’s Ahead

Lord, as this new year opens
I bring my heart’s desire
For Spirit-sent revival,
For living, holy fire.

You want me to be bearing
Good fruit that will remain
Through years of endless glory
For praise and joy and gain.

Teach me this year to study
And meditate each day
Upon Your Word and live it,
To do the things You say.

Teach me to pray with power,
Consistently with zeal,
That You might get the glory
And I Your grace might feel.

Teach me to truly worship
The God that I confess
With praise and adoration,
With grateful humbleness.

Teach me to know You better,
Your nature, works, and Word,
That I might love and serve You
As by Your love I’m stirred.

Teach me to think of others
As Jesus would, and do
The things that show His kindness
To point them, Lord, to You.

Teach me to be a witness
Whose life and words and face
Line up and tell the story
Of Jesus’ saving grace.

Teach me to be a giver
Like You this year, I pray,
That as a faithful steward
Your kindness I’ll display.

Teach me to be forgiving
As You’ve forgiven me
So I can freely serve You
And Your great mercy see.

Teach me to count each trouble
As joy because I know
It draws me closer to You
As through life’s storm we go.

Teach me to live expecting
Your glad return each day –
Come quickly, dear Lord Jesus,
To catch Your bride away!

That when this year is over
We might look back and see
Good fruit that brings You glory
For all eternity.

Christina Joy Hommes

A few references: John 15:8, 16; Philippians 1:11;
James 5:16-18; Luke 18:1; 2 Corinthians 1:11;
1 John 4:19;
James 1:2-4; Philippians 3:10;
Mark 13:35; 1 John 2:28; Revelation 22:20

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:
but this one thing I do,
forgetting those things which are behind,
and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark
for the prize of the high calling of God
in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14

“Ye have not chosen me,
but I have chosen you,
and ordained you,
that ye should go and bring forth fruit,
and that your fruit should remain:
that whatsoever ye shall ask
of the Father in My Name,
He may give it you.” John 15:16