Saturday December 26, 2020

Begin this new day by praying this prayer out loud. As you are able, consider kneeling as a physical expression of your commitment to Jesus as Lord of your life and the one you desire to lead you this day. Alternatively, you might consider placing a hand over your heart as you pray this prayer. 

Lord,

We come to you with great anticipation and preparation. Open our minds, open our hearts, open ourselves to what you want us to hear and experience today as we read your word. 

Dear Friends, let us love one another for love comes from God. Every one who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God shows us his love among us:   He sent his one and only son into the world that we might live though him. 

1 John 4:7-9

For me Christmas Eve must include the song “O Holy Night”, often sung be a soloist just before the lighting of the candles and the classic silent night. The Lyrics include:

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His Law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother,
and in His name all oppressions shall cease.

I think God is serious about this love business. Today’ bible verses from John even says “God is love”. When we take that a step further, we are made aware that Jesus’ birth is the core expression of God’s love, of God Himself. In the life of Christ, we see the reality of what love is, the love we are challenged to live by.

Love is giving your life away, what Christmas is about.

Love is God sending his son into the world, a world that God knows would kill Him and while on the cross responded with, ‘Father, Forgive them”. 

Following Jesus is loving people, not because of who or what they are, but who and what we are. We are Christians who have experienced this love that God has given us so freely and expresses so clearly in Christmas.

I think God is serious about this love business. 

When you are finished with your time of reflection, close out this time with this prayer. 

 Lord, Make advent real in our hearts. 
Never have we needed Your joy and peace more than now. 
Thank You for the gift of Jesus, our Immanuel, the Word made flesh. 

Lord, we need Your peace and joy. We know that peace on earth can only come when hearts find peace with You. You are still our Joy. You are still our Peace.  And we still celebrate You as Lord—this Christmas and always.