A Prayer about Relief from Life’s Crushing Load
A Prayer about Relief from Life’s Crushing Load
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests. Luke 2:14
Heavenly Father,
We cannot help but notice the stark contrasts
in the story of the first Christmas.
Into a dark and silent world,
you sent angels to speak hope.
Often when they came,
the first response was fear:
“And an angel of the Lord appeared to them,
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were filled with fear” (Luke 2:9).
Your people lived in a world of strife.
The words of “It Came upon a Midnight Clear”
described life then and life now:
“And ye, beneath life’s crushing load,
whose forms are bending low,
who toil along the climbing way
with painful steps and slow…”
And yet, in the midst of
sorrow
and suffering
and silence,
you sent these wild and fearsome angels
to announce the arrival of joy and peace:
“Fear not, for behold,
I bring you good news
of great joy
that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10).
What was this good news?
A Savior is born!
He is the King
who will bring an end
to the bitter strife
among humankind:
“He himself is our peace,
who has made us both one
and has broken down in his flesh
the dividing wall of hostility” (Ephesians 2:14).
Wherever this season finds us,
may we listen for the good news:
“Look now! For glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing.
O rest beside the weary road,
And hear the angels sing!”
For he has come and brought peace,
and we await the day
when he will come again,
and all hostility will cease.
In that day,
there will be no more cause for crying,
no more “crushing loads.”
We will sing in a choir
composed of people from every nation, tribe, and tongue,
“Glory to God in the highest!”
Come now, Lord Jesus!
Amen.
Read Luke 2:8-14.
Get Elizabeth’s Advent devotional for free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/34no8c805q.
![Have you ever felt forsaken?
He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:8
Faithful Father,
In times that we feel forsaken,
whether because of betrayal or abandonment or loss,
may we remember,
“It is the Lord who goes before [us],”
and you will never leave us or forsake us.
You are a God who made a covenant,
a promise of love to your people
that you alone upheld.
Even after Adam and Eve disobeyed you in the garden,
you promised to send your Son to destroy Satan (Gen. 3:15).
You promised Abraham to make him a great nation (Gen. 12:2),
and you continued to love your people, the Israelites,
even though they continued to rebel against you:
“For the mountains may depart,
and the hills may be removed,
but my steadfast love will not depart from you” (Isaiah 54:10).
In your most stunning proof of your commitment
to bring your people back to you,
you allowed your Son to be forsaken on the cross,
to die for our sins,
that we might become your children.
Because you will never leave nor forsake
your children in Christ,
when we feel lonely
or exiled
or forgotten,
we need not “fear or be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8).
In Jesus’ faith-full name we pray. Amen.
Read Deuteronomy 31:8; Isaiah 54.
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