O Jehovah, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches. The earth is Jehovah’s and the fullness thereof; the world and all they that dwell therein. Jesus Christ, the wisdom of God, hath ascended on high, hath given to us his righteousness, forgiven us all our sins, and made us heirs of this thy grand design.

Grant, Father, that in Jesus Christ we may use with thy blessing this creation: food out of the earth, wine to make glad the heart, oil to make the face to shine, and bread to strengthen our hearts; and for these we pray.

O Lord our God, thou art very great, and with all thy abundant care of thy creation wilt thou not also care for us thy redeemed people, granting to the men work, to the families daily bread, and to each one strength to do his labors before thy face. Grant us thy grace that, remembering to be thankful and blessing thee always, we may do our work, whatever thou mayest be pleased to give to us, to thy name’s honor and glory as members of thy covenant and kingdom.

Grant us hope that we may also labor in hope, looking forward to that day when thou shalt be all in all in this renewed creation. As we look forward to that day, grant that we may not cling to the things of this life but receive thankfully and patiently from thy hand such things as thou dost give to us. For we do not at present see all things put under the feet of Jesus Christ, but we see him ascended to thy right hand and reigning in the interest of his church. We see yet many signs of a creation groaning under the curse, not only the fact that the lion and the lamb do not yet lie down peacefully together, as they shall in thy perfect creation; that there is death and a creation bloodied and violent; that sinners yet despise thy bounties and press them into the service of sin; but also our own fears and struggles and often our sheer unbelief in thy fatherly care of us. For thou dost hide thy face, and we also are troubled.

As we face this coming year of growing, planting, harvesting, and labors, wilt thou strengthen our faith in thee that we might praise thee always and that our thoughts may sweetly repose in thee that thou wilt provide us with every good thing and avert all evil or turn it to our profit. We commit our way unto thee, who alone rules and reigns in creation. Grant us, therefore, to sing of thee while we have our being, as long as we live and into eternity, and let sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more when this creation being renewed shall be the perfect habitation of Jesus Christ and his righteous church.

Amen.