fbpx

A Prayer about Not Being Alone at Christmas

by | Dec 9, 2024 | Christmas, Daily Prayer, Grief

A Prayer about Not Being Alone at Christmas

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20

Ever-present God,

We’ve seen too many Christmas programs 

with Mary all alone on the stage singing

about how a baby changes everything. 

I guess it’s because 

we admire Mary for facing such a daunting task—

to raise the Son of God, 

but we’re prone to forget 

that she was never alone in her calling, 

that she’s not some 21st century independent woman, 

bold and brave and free, 

walking this hard road in her own strength. 

Indeed, the angel Gabriel is right there with her 

in this radically life-altering moment, 

and you were with her all along.

Her cousin Elizabeth is with her, 

believing the impossible with her. 

Even if her husband rejected her 

and the village folk talked about her behind her back, 

she had the assurance that her heavenly Father favored her.

And we have so much more than Mary had. 

We have the knowledge that Christ the King 

was born as a baby, 

lived and loved on this earth, 

died on the Cross for our sins, 

rose from the dead, 

and is seated at your right hand. 

We know that one day he will come again 

to restore all things, 

to right the wrong, 

to call his people home. 

Show us today

where we need to surrender to your plan, 

and remind us that we are never alone 

in living this glorious calling to be your bond servant. 

Do your will in us, 

and remind us of the many ways 

you’ve already shown us your favor 

and empowered us to serve you. 

In Jesus, Immanuel’s name. Amen. 

Read Luke 1:26-45. 

Get Elizabeth’s Advent devotional for free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/34no8c805q.



A Prayer about How Christmas Disturbs Our Self-Made Shalom:

by | Dec 1, 2024 | Advent, Christmas, Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about How Christmas Disturbs Our Self-Made Shalom:

But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. Luke 1:29

Wondrous God, 

Even though this verse isn’t usually 

the subject of memes or cross-stitched wall-art, 

we need to ponder it.

It reminds us of just how disruptive 

the birth of Christ really was, 

how Christ in fact came 

to disrupt any self-made shalom, 

any peace we’ve gained on our own terms, 

any security and significance 

that doesn’t come from you. 

We can imagine how confused 

Mary must have been, 

how disruptive the news 

of her imminent pregnancy was to her.

After all, what would Joseph, 

her betrothed say?

And yet, she doesn’t quarrel 

with the angel Gabriel. 

Instead, she wonders, “How can this be?”

Lord, in this season of Advent, 

draw us to wonder 

about the disruptive grace 

of Jesus Christ. 

Make us sit and rest and ponder 

the enormity of this question, 

“How can this be….” 

In Christ’s wonderfully disruptive name. Amen.

Read Luke 1:26-38.

Get Elizabeth’s Advent devotional for free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/34no8c805q.



A Prayer about Hope, Joy, and Peace at Christmas

by | Dec 24, 2023 | Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, Seasons & Holidays

A Prayer about Hope, Joy, and Peace at Christmas

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Romans 15:13

Lord of Hope,

You know one of our children’s favorite seasonal movies 

is The Polar Express,

though they’re long past 

imagining that the North Pole 

is where the main action of Christmas takes place. 

The movie, based on the wonderful book by Chris Van Allsburg, 

is about belief, 

but the belief is in a myth. 

Unlike  “Hero Boy,” 

we need a different kind of believing—

we need to believe that you, 

the true hero of our truest story, 

were born as a baby, 

grew as a child, 

taught in the temple, 

turned water into wine, 

raised people from the dead, 

died on a cross, 

and rose from the dead. 

It is in this belief 

that we find our deepest hope, 

our longed-for joy, 

and our perfect peace. 

By your Holy Spirit, 

grant us this belief 

today and every day.

In Jesus’ trustworthy name. Amen.

Read Romans 15:1-13.

 

 

A Prayer about the Rising Sun of Righteousness

by | Dec 20, 2023 | Advent, Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Seasons & Holidays, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Rising Sun of Righteousness

But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. Malachi 4:2

Lord Jesus,

By this time in the Christmas season, 

we’ve probably sung “Hark the herald angels sing” 

around 20-30 times, 

depending on our playlists. 

One of my favorite lines is, 

“Hail the Sun of Righteousness! 

Light and life to all He brings, 

Risen with healing in His wings.” 

But sometimes we sing 

without knowing what it means. 

After all, we know Jesus isn’t an angel, 

and he doesn’t have wings. 

But then we remember the poetic allusion 

to Jesus in Malachi, and things fall into place. 

The image of the rising sun with its wings 

(rays spreading throughout the earth) 

was also used by Isaiah 

to describe God’s glory 

rising over the earth: 

“but the Lord will arise upon you, 

and his glory will be seen by you” (Isaiah 60:2). 

Oh, Lord Jesus, 

how we need your light to come, 

your glory to spread over us! 

We long for the freedom of forgiveness 

that truly heals our hearts, minds, and bodies; 

we long for the healing 

that fills us with the kind of joy 

that sends us bounding about like calves 

leaping from their stalls (Malachi 4:2). 

How we look forward to the day 

when you return 

and your glory covers the earth 

and your healing is complete.

In your righteous name. Amen.

Read Malachi 4:1-3; Isaiah 60:1-3. 

Get Elizabeth’s Advent devotional for free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/34no8c805q.



 

A Prayer about All the Coming at Christmas

by | Dec 19, 2023 | Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, Seasons & Holidays

A Prayer about All the Coming at Christmas

Come, all you who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 

Matthew 11:28

Lord Jesus,

During the Christmas season, we sing the word “Come” 

several times a day (if we sing along with our playlists).

Why? Because of course, Christmas is about 

your coming, God coming to earth as a human.

It’s about people seeing you, God-with-us, 

knowing you are the Savior of the World 

and inviting others to come and behold you! 

But perhaps most of all, Christmas is about 

your startling invitation to us: 

“Come, all you who labor and are heavy-laden, 

and I will give you rest.” 

You, the Savior of the World 

came to us so that you might invite us 

to come to you.

You, the Savior of the World, 

invite us to lay our heavy burdens, 

the ones that weary us the most, 

our sins and our futile attempts

to save ourselves, 

on you. 

You invite us to come 

that you might give us rest. 

You invite us to come 

that you might give us 

a different yoke, 

a light yoke, 

an easy burden. 

You invite us to come, 

that we might learn from you, 

a gentle and lowly teacher 

who transforms us 

into gentle and lowly people.

Lord Jesus, may we hear and receive your invitation, 

not only in this season, 

but throughout our lives.

In your inviting name. Amen.

Read Matthew 11:25-30.

Get Elizabeth’s Advent devotional for free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/34no8c805q.



 

A Prayer about What Jesus Came to Do

by | Dec 18, 2023 | Christmas, Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Seasons & Holidays, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about What Jesus Came to Do

The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. He raises up the poor from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor.

1 Samuel 2:7-8

Holy and Just God,

You bring death, and you bring life –

Thank you for bringing death to sin in our lives; 

Thank you for bringing us new life in Jesus.

You bring poverty, and you bring wealth;

Thank you for showing us 

that our accomplishments or lack thereof, 

our right-ness or lack thereof —

are not what make you value us;

Thank you for making us wealthy 

as your adopted children in Christ.

Father, from generation to generation, 

you care for your faithful ones

Thank you for protecting us in our every step.

You put stumbling blocks in the path of the sinner;

Thank you for rescuing us from the miry road, 

where we were ever stuck in sin;

Thank you for setting us on the way 

of those who trust in you. 

Holy, Just, and Merciful God, 

you know our world is a wreck:

You know the terror, 

you know the divisiveness, 

you know the hatred.

Thank you for sending your King, 

the only ruler who can truly restore peace on earth.

We are glad he has come,

and we pray he will come again soon

to establish your shalom finally and forever. 

In the name of the holy infant, Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Read 1 Samuel 2:1-10.

Get Elizabeth’s Advent devotional for free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/34no8c805q.