Father, we thank you for this time when the world comes together to celebrate the majesty of your plans. The prophets of the old covenant rejoiced in a future you gave them glimpses of, even though they would not see the fulfillment in any of their lifetimes. They saw the Messiah and reconciliation, but none could have imagined the manner in which you would bring them about. You would choose your Son, who was with You from before creation, to come to the Earth clothed in our meager humanity.
Jesus, I thank you for the life you would live as one of us. I thank you that you would set aside your dignity and glory and dwell with us for thirty three years. I thank you that you lived as a perfect son, and modeled for us a life of righteousness and compassion. I thank you Jesus that you would lay down your life freely to redeem us from all the curses of sin. I thank you that you would rise up from your grave and conquer death, only to hand over the keys of life to us. I thank you that you would ascend into heaven, being glorified, giving us the days foretold when the Spirit of God would pour out on all flesh. I thank you that, even now, you sit at the right hand of the Father and intercede for us each day and night.
I thank you, Holy Spirit, that you would make our bodies your temple. I thank you for the wisdom and power of God that lives inside of us. I thank you for your comfort, your teaching, your spiritual gifts, and the fruit of walking with you. I thank you that you convict the world of the sin of not believing, and convict us of the righteousness granted through Jesus’ ascension.
Father, I thank you for Christmas day, when we celebrate the virgin birth of Your Son. It is a season on earth of giving and receiving. I thank you most of all Father for being the giver that you are. You never asked or needed anything from us. You didn’t need sacrifices, or temples built with human hands, or proud men proclaiming their own righteousness. Yet out of love, and the nature of who you are, you gave, and will continue to give forevermore. You gave your law to bring awareness of our iniquity and our need of a savior. You gave your Son to hang on a tree and bleed and die to buy us and call us your children. You gave your Holy Spirit to walk with us and empower us to live as a powerful saint and child of God. You gave us righteousness. You gave us new life. You gave us eternity. You have given all of Yourself.
Father, I pray that you continue in your grace to teach us to be better receivers. Just as we love to give gifts to our children, to see their faces alight with joy, help us to know that you are the same, that for us to receive well your gifts would bring joy to your face. In your mercy you gave the greatest gift there will ever be. Help us to be more like Jesus. Help us bless those who don’t deserve it. Help us love a fallen world. Help us to be generous and compassionate beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. Help us accept everything that you would give and know that there’s always more.
Bless all the families and people that gather around tables to dine and laugh and love this day, but help us to remember that there is an open invitation to Your table in heaven and that we are called to bring as many guests as we can find.
I pray all these things in the name of our dear savior, Jesus Christ.
Abiding Grace 