A New Year Prayer Poem by Gert Strydom

Lord, when the last hour of the year leaves me
then I ask love and mercy from You
and sometimes in this life I am astonished and dumbfounded
but at times left behind by friends and loved ones

and when the last minute of the year disappears
then I want to think back to times where I could find moments of happiness
and when life wants to press me down I stand before you like a child,
while I trust in hope on the new tomorrow's sunshine.

Give me a disposition that forgives and do forget,
help me to stay true to You, to my wife and to my country,
to stand free from self-exaltation and any hypocrisy
and to really know about the depth of love.

Help me to live for more than own enrichment,
to pursue the struggle for everything that is right
and bring on my life's way daily new meaning,
teach me to constantly discover your truths,

to live only to Your will in my humanity
and I beg that you lead on the way,
that You do fill each day with new hope
become a part of my reality

and when the dark days comes suddenly
then I ask that You become the light on my way
and when I do deviate I ask that You bring me back to equilibrium
unto the last days of old age.

[Reference: ''n Kersnaggebed' (A Christmas night prayer) by C. Louis Leipoldt.]