Father God, I thank You and praise You today for the miracle of Your Son’s birth. Thank You for bringing great JOY to the whole world! Thank You for giving us the assurance that because You came to us in the form of a human, we who believe in Jesus can know with absolute certainty that we’ll spend eternity with You.
I thank You, Lord, for the many reasons I have been given a merry Christmas. And I rejoice for each blessing. New life. New love. A home. A job. Food on the table. Transportation. New opportunities. Second chances. And so much more.
I know, Lord, that You bring the sun and the moon and set the stars in motion. You tell the ocean where to stop and the snow when to start. And I thank You for the mighty gift of Your creation.
Thank You, Father, for spiritual leaders and faith-filled friends who keep encouraging me when I am close to giving up. And although I have many reasons to rejoice today, Lord, I also know December 25 can be not-so-merry for a whole host of reasons.
I pray for those who are experiencing loss during Advent: relational, financial, spiritual and physical. I pray for those who are coping with loving a prodigal and our friends and family members whose hearts are far from You. I pray for those dealing with unemployment and addictions and chronic sickness… and unending pain and frustrations of all kinds.
Thank You, Lord, that You are The Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace, even in the midst of whatever our not-so-merry circumstances may be.
Finally, Lord, I ask You to grant us peace, Your kind of peace, not just an absence of conflict. Peace in our homes, peace in churches, and peace in my heart, when the world all around me spins out-of-control. Help me to stay focused on You, this Advent season and always. Thank You for loving the whole world enough to send the greatest gift, Your Son, so that I might truly have a very merry Christmas because I am Yours and You are mine forever. In Jesus’ Name I pray with gratitude, Amen.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT