God.

We are waiting for “and then”. For that time when we will know where the story is going, what the plan is, what everything means.

Your people have always been waiting for “and then”.
Your people have never quite gotten to the “and now.”
And now we can live in peace. And now we can be content. And now our tears are wiped away.

God, we confess.

We confess that we trust more in horses and chariots that we trust in your name.
We confess that we are more interested in our comfort and pleasure than in your good pleasure.
We confess that we thought we were going to get answers by talking to you.
We confess that we are frustrated what we get you instead of answers.
We confess that we want to be like a well-watered garden, to see the bounty of the Lord, to go to the party with dancing and rejoicing and feasting.

Instead, right now, we feel locked up, avoiding each other, not dancing much at all. We are fearful of the new year and novel virus, aware of the political and social battles.

God, today we want to know you. We want to learn to be unafraid. We want to have glimpses of your glory which give us courage and peace. We want to start the year with trebling confidence that you are here.

And then we will live the year with you.

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Reflecting a little on Jeremiah 31:7-14 and Ephesians 1:3-14