Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
Hallelujah! Christ is Born, and Father God may we be as in
awe and overwhelmed by the news, as the shepherds were that cold, dark night. You
loved us so much, you sent your only son to earth, as a humble babe, to rescue
us out of darkness. Yes, we are in awe, and we sing our praises to you. Lord, as we are humbled in this
remembrance, we ask your forgiveness for forgetting who we are. Forgive us for overlooking the great gift you
have given to us – the inheritance of a King.
Forgive us when we act in ways that do not reflect our heritage of
Light. Forgive us for overlooking those
in need around us. Forgive us now, as we consider apologies that are yet
unspoken; relationships that need attention; love that needs to be
extended.
Thank you
that through your precious son, we are forgiven. As we are forgiven, so we need to
forgive. Use us, in spite of our
perceived shortcomings, to reflect your great love to others. Use our losses and failures to lift up the lives
of others in need, as we unknowingly encounter them every day… at work, at the
post office, at the market and malls, as we rush to prepare our homes for
Christmas. Remind us that the message of
the birth of Christ is not just a celebration to be kept at home with our
family, but an opportunity to reach out to those we overlook, with the same generosity you extend
to us. Make obvious to us the people who need your light in the darkness this
Christmas season…..we yearn to satisfy the hungry, befriend the lonely, walk
alongside the grieving, care for the ashamed, so that the reversal of Advent be
true for them - in their lives- this
Christmas.
Lord we pray
for the overlooked in our families. Open our eyes. Lord we pray for the overlooked in our
communities, and we ask you would move our feet. We pray for the overlooked and needy in our
nation… Lord, extend our hands. We
consider the overlooked, the persecuted, the poor, the unloved, around the
world. Lord, open our hearts to include
them in our daily prayers. Help us to remember to live in your great love every
day. Keep us in your word, and guide us
to take steps that spread the good news of your great love. Show us ways to shine the light of your Glory
out from our homes into the community, the nation, the world, just as the
angels did that Christmas night so long ago.
In Jesus’ precious name. Amen
