A Christmas Prayer

Every year I try to find a Christmas prayer that will help in my preparations and there are a lot of lovely prayers out there. However, there is one that keeps on cropping up, and it comes from an unlikely source - it is from Robert Louis Stevenson. I offer it to you again and pray that you may have a blessed Christmas. 

“Loving God, 
Help us remember the birth of Jesus,
that we may share in the song of the angels,
the gladness of the shepherds,
and worship of the wise men.

Close the door of hate
and open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift
and good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing 
which Christ brings,
and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.

May the Christmas morning 
make us happy to be your children,
and Christmas evening bring us to our beds
with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, 
in Jesus’ name.” – Robert Louis Stevenson 

John 8:12 - Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

Living in Grace

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The Waiting is almost over

The waiting is almost over. Christmas is about to dawn again, and we eagerly await the birth of Jesus.

What is the longest you have waited for something to happen? A few hours? Days? Weeks? Months or Years?

How about 84 years? Well, this is how long we believe that Anna waited for the coming of the Messiah. 

"Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem." - Luke 2: 36-38

"During the night we must wait for the light." - Francis de Sales

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Faithful

"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments." - Deuteronomy 7:9 

God is faithful. 

God keeps his promises. 

God shows up, when all else looks grim and bleak.

“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again." - John 3:16-18 (The Message)

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Forever

In a world where nothing is built to last, it is important for us to reflect on the gift that God gives to us - it is a LOVE that will last forever. If you don't believe me, please read the words of Ethan, in Psalm 89.

¹ I will sing of the Lord’s unfailing love forever!
    Young and old will hear of your faithfulness.
² Your unfailing love will last forever.
    Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.

³ The Lord said, “I have made a covenant with David, my chosen servant.
    I have sworn this oath to him:
⁴ ‘I will establish your descendants as kings forever;
    they will sit on your throne from now until eternity.’”  - Psalm 89

Thought: Let us be mindful of the precious gifts that last more than one Christmas season.

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To You

"To you, O Jesus, I direct my eyes;
to you my hands, 

to you my humble knees;
to you my heart shall offer sacrifice;
to you my thoughts, who my thoughts only see;
to you myself–myself and all I give;
to you I die; 

to you I only live." - Sir Walter Raleigh

May we strive to spend the remainder of this Advent season with our gaze only looking 'To Jesus.'

Job 22:26 - “Then you will take delight in the Almighty and look up to God."

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A gift that changes us from the inside

I am often amazed at the perception that Jesus wants to be a killjoy of sorts. It actually saddens me when I hear people speak of God in this way. Take this passage as an example - does this sound like someone who wants to squeeze all the joy out of our lives?

"I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." - John 15:11-13

Jesus loved his followers so much that he wanted to FILL us with joy. And not just a little bit of joy, but rather that our lives overflow with his Joy.

I believe it is this gift that truly changes us from the inside out. 

Living in Grace

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The Shadow of Joy

If we look with great care in the New Testament, we will see that JOY is littered all over the life of Jesus. If you start in Matthew’s version of the birth narratives, you will see how he writes about Jesus' birth:

Matthew 2:10 – “When they saw the star they were filled with joy!” (NLT)

And then, if you then move to Luke’s account...

Luke 1:44 – “As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, my baby leaped for Joy.” (Even John the Baptist danced for Joy when he realized that Jesus was close by).

Then we hear the message of the angels when they speak to the shepherds...

Luke 2:10 – “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”

We can even take a giant leap to the end of Jesus’ life, to that scene at the Resurrection, where the women come to anoint his body with spices. They are frightened yet still filled with Joy.

“So, the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet also filled with great joy...” – Matthew 28:8

Thought: Do you see what I mean? Jesus’ life is covered in JOY. 

Wherever Jesus went JOY was there. It is as if Jesus’ shadow was JOY itself.

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Living in Wonder

While researching for our Advent services I came across a lovely prayer by Rebecca Barlow Jordan, 

"We confess that our hearts are too often filled with wonder of a different kind: wondering when the bills will be paid, wondering when the terror will stop, wondering when rest will come. We even wonder if the message of peace is still true."

These words really left an impression on me. We have entered the Christmas season, which many of us realise should invoke feelings of Divine Wonder, but if we are honest, we are still clouded by the wonders of the world. The wonderings of our temporary world - money, security, food, relationships, education, work etc. Of course these are all necessary for us to live, but I believe that our 'Wonder' should rather be focused on the God of all creation.

Exodus 15:11 - “Who is like you among the gods, O Lord— glorious in holiness, awesome in splendor, performing great wonders?

Luke 5:26 - Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they praised God, exclaiming, “We have seen amazing things today!”

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Paying Tribute

Paying tribute to someone is usually something that you say to show respect or affection for someone. We find that this happens a lot during a service of memorial. However, it also used to happen when a nation was conquered by an enemy. They were forced to pay a 'tribute' to their new rulers. 

One of our well-known hymns reminds us of this task of paying tribute to our Lord Jesus.

Praise, my soul, the King of heaven;
to his feet your tribute bring.
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
evermore his praises sing.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise the everlasting King!

The Psalmist wrote of this same concept when reflecting on the hope of a Messiah. He said:

"The western kings of Tarshish and other distant lands will bring him tribute.
The eastern kings of Sheba and Seba will bring him gifts." - Psalm 72

The question that remains for us, is "what TRIBUTE do we bring to Jesus this year?"

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Forever Kind

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." - Psalm 118:1

The opening verse of Psalm 118 is a popular refrain throughout the Old Testament. It is repeated in the last verse of the same Psalm, as well as in many other Psalms (106, 107 and 136). I don't believe it is hard to comprehend what the writers want us to understand - God's love will endure, so let us give thanks for this gift.

The Hebrew scholar, Robert Alter, wrote his own paraphrase of the Psalms and put a different slant on these words. He wrote: "Acclaim the Lord, for He is good; forever is His kindness."

How do you feel about that? Not only is the Lord loving towards us, but part of his nature is also kind. 

Ephesians 2:7 - "in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus."

Thought: May you experience the kindness and love of Christ today.

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Please save us!

I know that it may seem strange to be referring to Easter while we are in the middle of the season of Advent, but as Christians we always need to see the connection between the birth of Jesus and his crucifixion. Psalm 118 is Messianic in language and is used in both liturgical seasons.  

"This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. 

Please, Lord, please save us. 

Please, Lord, please give us success.
Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
We bless you from the house of the Lord.
The Lord is God, shining upon us." - v.24-27

These words are sung when we remember Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, as well as when we ponder the Incarnation of Christ. God hears our cries for salvation and sends his son into the world. 

Thought: Is there someone you know who may need your prayers today?

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Hope has two beautiful daughters

Hope has two daughters, according to St. Augustine. One of the daughters is named Anger and the other, Courage. 

"Hope has two beautiful daughters; their names are Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are, and Courage to see that they do not remain as they are." - Augustine

This is such a powerful way of looking at Hope, and it presents a challenge to all Christ-followers. When we hope in something, it is easy to allow any unfilled expectations to push us towards 'Anger' and blame. 

On the other hand, 'Courage' allows us to move forward, trusting that God hears our prayers and has already begun to answer these cries. 

The first week of advent is focused on Hope, and I pray that we would allow God's grace to transform our anger into courage and love.

"Show me your ways, O Lord, 

teach me Your paths;
Guide me in Your truth and teach me, 

for You are my Saviour,
and my HOPE is in You all day long." - Psalm 25

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Let every heart prepare Him room

Isaac Watt’s grand hymn: Joy to the world. The Lord is Come! is one of my favourite Christmas songs. In the opening verse of his song Watts makes a powerful call for all of us to prepare room in our hearts for the birth of Jesus.

“Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.”

As Advent begins, how will we make space for the Lord? 

What have you found helpful in your spiritual journey?

Living in Grace

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