Saturday, December 31, 2022 - New Year’s Eve Prayer and Seventh Day of Christmas

"I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen." (Luther's Morning Prayer)

Saturday, December 31, 2022 - Day 365 - (Today’s Bible readings: Isaiah 25:1-12; Psalm 150; John 1:1-28)

New Year’s Eve Prayer and Seventh Day of Christmas

THE SONG

    ♬ On the seventh day of Christmas

my true love sent to me:

Seven Swans a-Swimming

Six Geese a-Laying

Five Golden Rings

Four Calling Birds

Three French Hens

Two Turtle Doves

and a Partridge in a Pear Tree.

Why Seven Swans a-swimming on the 7th Day of Christmas?

Seven Swans a-Swimming represent the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit:

3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:3-9 ESV)

As you can see in these verses from Romans, we Christians are called upon to fight the naturally human tendency to think more about ourselves than we should. We all have a role to play in God’s plan, a role for which He has provided you with just the right gift(s). We are all in this together.  As we look forward to 2023, may we determine to make better use of our God-given gifts for His glory and in His service.

A Prayer for December 31, 2022

1. Across the sky the shades of night

   This New Year’s Eve are fleeting,

   We deck Your altar, Lord, with light,

   In solemn worship meeting;

   And as the year’s last hours go by,

   We raise to You our earnest cry,

   Once more You love entreating.

2. Before the cross subdued we bow,

   To You our prayers addressing,

   Recounting all Your mercies now,

   And all our sins confessing;

   Beseeching You this coming year

   To keep us in Your faith and fear

   And crown us with Your blessing.

3. We gather up in this brief hour

   The memory of Your mercies;

   Your wondrous goodness, love and power

   Our grateful song rehearses;

   For You have been our strength and stay

   In many a dark and dreary day

   Of sorrow and reverses.

5 Then, gracious God, in years to come,

   We pray Your hand may guide us,

   And, onward through our journey home,

   Your mercy walk beside us

   Until at last our ransomed life

   Is safe from peril, toil, and strife

   When heav'n itself shall hide us. AMEN.

   (Across the Sky the Shades of Night, Lutheran Service Book, CPH 2006, LSB #899)

Pastor David Paape