Matt's Muzings
To help you think, ponder and reflect on the human side of leadership
New Year's Prayer December, 2005 Volume 8, Issue 60
Dear Friends around the world…
I wrote out a prayer that I read aloud at a Christmas gathering with some of my friends here in Singapore. I felt to share part of it with you as we ALL look towards this coming New Year.
We trust you had a Merry Christmas and we send on to you this prayer for a Blessed New Year.
“Help them Lord to have such a clear vision of You that they are blind to the world. So much so that when they are distracted and catch a glimpse of the world and are tempted by it’s seductive power to make a name for themselves, they will go back to Your presence and see the futility of such a game to play.
Help them Jesus, to go beyond comfortable relationships that grow stale so quickly…To not take up offense or hold these pains against each other and to live forgiveness in such a way that honesty and vulnerability would flow through them and go beyond them to touch a world dying to see such rare and precious things.
May they discover faith to believe you for your promises to them, even when they feel as good as dead. As when Abraham walked in faith, he believed in hope against hope, even though his body was too old to produce life. He knew You and believed in Your greatness and thus became an example to all who followed Him. A child that became a nation, that opened the door for our salvation. May they model You to their families and the nation so there is hope for the future. Give them hope for this year God. Hope in your promises for them.
May they find the courage to embrace suffering and discipline as a gift from you to make them like Jesus, the beautiful one, the beloved, the lover of our soul and our brother who came to show us the way.
In closing, as we look around us and see Your heart broken by foolishness, arrogance, jealousy, anger and strife. May we live a simple life that would bring a smile to You and help ease Your pain. Lord, that would be an unspeakable joy, that would make life worth living!”
In the beautiful name of our Savior and in Jesus name I pray.
AMEN.
Matt & Celia
Family Matters:
Matt: The day after Christmas, on my birthday… I took an all day trip with some friends here. We took a boat ride to Malaysia. We then road bikes for 40 kilometers and then ate lunch at a seafood restaurant (black pepper crab, chili crab, prawns, venison) on the coast and then road 20 kilometers to catch another boat home. It was a blast.
Celia: We had a peaceful Christmas day and Holiday season with many wonderful times of sharing meals and conversations with such dear and special friends here in Singapore. I am so grateful to the Lord for each and every one of them who have opened their hearts to us. We missed Josh being here but the fun news is we get to see him in January. Matt will teach in the Kona DTS and I was able to find a mile ticket with the same routing so we both get to go. I am looking forward to it and looking forward to catching up with friends and family in HI.
Josh: He is working hard. He decided not to come out here for Christmas as he wanted to be in Hawaii with some friends. He is doing well.
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