Dear Heavenly Father,
The Christmas story is such a beautiful story. It is full of such joy and celebration! It is simply the most wonderful story of all! But, Lord, every year it comes and goes…and often we get so caught up in all our lists and lines, we seem to miss it. And, when we miss it,…we miss You. Father, please let it be different for us this Christmas. Embrace us in prayer every day…early in the morning. Catch us before we’re off and running. Stop us just for a moment before we are off making our daily mistakes, our sins, our omissions. Tell us Your story, Lord Jesus. Tell it to me each morning, so that I can see it in all that I do.
As we plow through dozens of cookies; carefully baked pies and cakes; and painstakingly prepared Christmas feasts, help us remember why we bake cookies and make all these preparations for our meals at Christmas. Make the aromas of food remind us of the sweetness of a life with Jesus. Remind us that Christ is the bread of life, and it is He who sustains us. As we wrap the 100th gift, let us be reminded of the most perfect gift…the Christ child wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. And, Father, speaking of gifts, help us remember as we write our letters to Santa, to tell our children about the mystery of Your gift, the miracle of Christmas. Help us to use this legend of Santa to paint a picture of how You give to us even when we don’t deserve it, and that you give without asking anything in return. Let us be reminded how Your gift is the gift of perfect, unconditional, and endless love.
Even Lord, as we decorate our homes…as we hang our fancy wreath on the front door, let us be reminded about circles…and, what it means to know love that has no beginning or end,… what it feels like to be encircled in Your love. As we light the candles and untangle the tree lights looking for the one bad bulb that keeps the aggravating thing from glowing, help us be reminded that the world was once a dark and hopeless place, and You sent Jesus, the light of the world. Help us to remember how Jesus brightens every dark spot in every life.
As we sing hymns and carols, let me take time to listen carefully, and learn the words, and for a moment just grasp why we sing at Christmas. Let us remember the Biblical story of the heavens opening up and about the chorus of angels that delivered the Good News to the shepherds and sang “Glory to God in the highest!” And, as we sneak a little treat of a candy cane, let us remember that the candy cane is like a shepherd’s staff, and that Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and that we are His sheep. He tends to us, He calls us by name, and He will always find us when we are lost.
And Lord, when we are stuck in traffic and long store lines,…when impatience begins to swell up in us, and the whines and cries are welling up in our little ones, let us remember why we wait at Christmas. We wait so we can reflect, and daydream, and just breathe. I think maybe You gave us waiting for that special purpose this time of year. We need to wait…to be still…to know You. It gives us a special time to ask forgiveness, to cleanse our hearts and minds…and prepare for the coming of the Christ child.
As we fill our carts and bags to overflowing,…as we do our best to buy almost anything our loved ones have asked for,…help us Jesus, to remember the poor. Help us to try to imagine just for a moment what it must be like to be cold, and hungry, homeless, and hopeless. We know Jesus loved the poor, and that He was born a poor baby, and died a poor man. Father, can You help us to have compassion and help the poor this Christmas?
And Lord, as our families gather together, as we hug and laugh, as we get bossy or maybe start to brag,…as we get nosy and critical of each other, help us to remember about families at Christmas. Let us remember You created families. We were made for relationship. We were made for community with one another. Let us remember that we should love our families the way you love us…faults and all. Let us all remember why we worship at Christmas. You call us through each symbol and reminder during this season to come and be with You, to be joyful and to experience You through Your Son in the miracle of His birth. Thank you, Father for revealing these things to us…and to me. Amen.
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