A prayer to start a new week

Read

‘The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”
The LORD is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul who seeks him.
It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.’ (Lamentations 3:22-26, ESV)

‘This is the day that the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Psalm 118:24, ESV)

Think

At the start of this week, take a moment to steady your thoughts and invite God to enter into the week with you. However you feel about the week ahead – whether it fills you with joy or dread – now is a time to remind yourself that God is present with you, and He has a plan for your week. 

Prayerfully reflect on some of these questions, and write down any prompts that the Holy Spirit gives you: 

• It can be tempting to rush into a new week and busy ourselves with activity. God, where are you asking me to wait for you today? How can I make sure I am moving at your pace through this week?
• Our weeks can be filled with so much noise, from people, demands, social media, and so on. God, how are you asking me to wait quietly for you this week? What noises do I need to silence, in order to hear your voice more loudly?
• What are the things I am nervous about this week, and how can I train my soul to seek God in the midst of those things? 
• Holy Spirit, is there anything in particular that you want to speak to me about, to prepare me for this week ahead?

Speak

God of unending mercies,
As I stand at the precipice of another week,
Would you reset my expectations.
This is not merely another week,
but a new week;
Not just another day,
but a new day.
And as I am stumbling into it,
Bewildered,
And bleary eyed,
You’ve already been up for hours,
Scheming how to show me your mercies
In ways I can’t imagine. 

Not one day have you repeated yourself,
Phoned it in,
Copied and pasted,
Or served up stale, day-old goodness.
It’s fresh every morning.

As I contemplate the week ahead;
A new row on my calendar,
A new to-do list,
A new cycle of jobs, interactions,
Hopes, dreams and emotions,
May I know that you have gone before me,
Scattering breadcrumbs of blessing through the days.
And you’re watching with glee,
Urging me to find them.

This day,
Even Monday!
Is the day that the Lord has made.
I will rejoice
And I will be glad.

Amen

Share

This week, why not do one or more of the following, to help you share your reflections with friends around you, be they from your Connect Group, your wider friendship group, or those outside of the church. 

• Share with a friend something you are fearful about this week, and ask them to pray for you. 
• Share a testimony with someone this week about how you have experienced God’s mercies. It doesn’t have to be a big thing! Sharing even small mercies can be really encouraging, and a great way to practice gratitude. 
• Talk to a friend who is not yet a follower of Jesus, and share with them one way that your faith in God has made a positive difference to you this week.
• Ask a friend if there is anything about this week that they would value prayer for. This could be a friend from church, or someone who doesn’t know Jesus. Then make sure you set aside time to pray for them and check in with them later in the week.