Daily Prayer

for joy in the longest night

Longest Night Meditation

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Only it's not.

Not for everyone.
Not when there is an empty chair at the table.
Not when your body is ravaged with illness.
Not when the depression is too much to bear.
Not without her voice joining yours on the Christmas carols.
Not when you feel all alone even in a crowd.
Not when you are not sure you can even afford the rent or mortgage, let alone the presents.
Not when they are trying their best to the best of you.
Not when another Christmas party means he will come home drunk again.

It's the most wonderful time of the year?

No, it's not.

And trying to smile and say Merry Christmas is more than difficult. It's pretty near impossible.

C.S. Lewis once wrote:

"No one ever told me that grief felt so much like fear. I am not afraid, but the sensation is like being afraid. The same fluttering in the stomach, the same restlessness, the yawning..."

It's the most wonderful time of the year.

Only it's not.

Not after he has died.
Not after the doctor gave you the news.
Not after they told you they would be downsizing.
Not after... you fill in the blank.
Not after September 11.
Not when there is so much violence and destruction in the world.

In truth, it has never been the most wonderful time of the year. Certainly not in the days surrounding that first Christmas so long ago. The story of the birth of Jesus is not to be told with a jolly voice and a merry ho-ho-ho.

It is the story of a teenage girl, pregnant with a child that is not her husband's.

It is the story of a child born in a dirty animal stall.

It is the story of a family of refugees who had to flee their homeland so that their child would not be killed.

It is the story of one sent into the world in peace who was condemned to death.

It is the story of a light sent to shine in the darkness, which the world snuffed out.

It is the story of God's never-ending, self-giving mercy which was rejected and condemned.

In the great work the Messiah, Handel quotes the prophet Isaiah, proclaiming that Jesus was "despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." One great theologian reminds us that we cannot come to the manger without acknowledging that it lays in the shadow of the cross.

It is not the most wonderful time of the year.

Only it is!

It is:

If we forget about the tinsel and the trees.
If we forget about the holly jolly tidings.
If we forget about the presents and the ornaments and the trappings.

And remember.

Remember the story.

Mary was alone and afraid.
But God was with her and exalted her among women.
Joseph was disgraced.
But God revealed in Joseph's cause for disgrace God's plan to save the world.
The world was in darkness.
But God sent the light of life to shine.
The lowly were imprisoned.
But Jesus set them free.
The blind wandered aimlessly.
But Christ gave them eyes to see.
The lame were rejected.
But through the Holy One they were made to leap and dance.
The deaf were confined to the silence.
But the song of life unstopped their ears.
The sorrowful grieved.
But God wipes away our tears.
We were alone.
But in Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, God is with us.
The people rejected God.
But God embraces us.
The world crucified Christ.
But God would not allow that to be the last word, and gave us the sure hope of the resurrection.

It is the most wonderful time of the year, not because you have to be cheery and happy and merry.

But because you don't.

You can have heavy spirits and shattered dreams. Broken hearts and deep wounds.

And still God comes to be with you.

To comfort you.
To redeem you.
To save you.
To restore you.
To empower you.
To strengthen you.
To grant you peace.
To be raised for you.
To hold you in the communion of saints with those whom you have loved and lost.
To store your tears in his bottle.
To offer you eternal life.

It is the most wonderful time of the year.
For Christ is born.
Love has come.
God is with us!
Thanks be to the Lord our God.

Rev. Diane Hendricks
16 December 2001

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as we seek and prepare for the holidays

Lord Jesus,

Master of both the light and the darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.

We who have so much to do and seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day,

We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us.

We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom.

We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence.

We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light.

To you we say, "Come Lord Jesus!'

Amen.

- Henri J.M. Nouwen

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for light

Heavenly Father,

We praise you for the light, O Lord, which illuminates and guides us.

Grant that our thoughts may be true light, finding their way into words we speak to others. May we never place our trust in empty light, darkness, driven by false desire.

Let our eyes not be worn by surfaces that shine, with hunger made attractive...a hunger that will never be satisfied by the world. Fill us, Lord, with what will satisfy: your presence, your truth, your love.

May our eyes have the kindness and reverence of candlelight. Show us a love that would lighten our feet upon the waters as we discover a found world that only your light can illuminate and show us.

Reveal to us your one true light, Jesus.

Amen

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CHRISTMAS ~ WEEK TWO

God became man: the divine Son became a Jew; the Almighty appeared on earth as a helpless human baby, unable to do more than lie and stare and wriggle and make noises, needing to be fed and changed and taught to talk like any other child. And there was no illusion or deception in this: the boyhood of the Son of God was a reality. The more you think about it, the more staggering it gets. Nothing in fiction is so fantastic as is thid truth of the incarnation. ~J.I Packer (1926)

Angles sing over fields of light,

There is born tonight

A Son, a Savior

Joyful tidings are on the wing;

A newborn King

A Son, a Savior

Find this Christ, and share the joy

Of Mary's boy

A Son, A Savior

There's redemption within His hand

For every man

Heaven sent us a Savior

The Father has give a Son.

~Bill Barstone 1988

Heavenly Father, help us to meditate on these truths and fill our hearts and lives with the joy of knowing and loving You. the Son of God and Savior to those who put their trust in You. Amen

googleimages.com

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The Divine Vulnerability

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us...." Isaiah 9:6 (NLT)

Isaiah 7:14 (NLT)

",,,,the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

Father it is wonderfully amazing the purpose and plan you had to place into the gentle hands of Joseph and Mary your beloved Son. This divine vulnerability of exposing him to human weakness and danger, in which he lived all of his life, was within your protection until the hour of darkness would prevail. In that darkness Jesus would take the punishment and pay the penalty for our sin. (45 ....from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:45-46 )

Father it was Joseph's and Mary's priceless privilege of being Jesus' human parents, watching over him and caring for him. Under their guidance and example, He was: " 51 submissive to them. ....52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man." Luke 2:51-52 (ESV)

Father how grateful we are that Jesus ultimately entered his ministry and finished his work of salvation. In all of this we see the divine vulnerability of infinite wisdom and the human responsibility of insightful parenting.

Thank you, Father, for your wonderful plan and the personal promise of John 3:16 (ESV) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. " Amen!

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for inner peace

Dear Lord,

This month, as we approach Christmas, can be the most stressful time of the year. Grant us the ability rest. Help us to find times for self care. Teach us to tune out the commercialism and all of the secular noise of the season.

We commit ourselves to you anew that we might find that inner peace once again. To seek you. To trust you. To love you and those all around us. This is our desire and our passion. That we might know you more.

Amen

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to walk in your ways

Sweet Holy Spirit,

We come to you asking for your leadership. We are often confused and find it so hard to know what to do next. Lead us Lord. Open our eyes that we might see the ways that you are working in our midst. Reveal your will in our hearts and give us courage to act accordingly.

We confess that Jesus is our Lord and our desire is to do the will of the Father. We are thankful that you love us and want the best for us. Help us to walk in a manner that proclaims your love to all around us.

In the name of Jesus we say amen.

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PRAYER is BREATH

Amen

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preparing

Father,

Just as you sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for Jesus, clear a path in our hearts. Show us the distractions in our lives that keep us from focusing on you this Advent season.

Lord, we await Your coming! As we prepare to celebrate the first Christmas––the first coming––we look toward the day where we will see you face to face. Give us minds to remember the ways in which you have already done great work in us, give us eyes to see how you are presently working in the world right now, and hearts that long for your return in the future .

Help us to live our lives constantly aware of your presence. Awaken our souls to the truth of your grace, and prepare us to joyfully receive our Lord Jesus Christ when he comes again in glory.

Amen

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Advent: Week Two

Jesus, your people were tired and oppressed when you came to them. You came for the least of these. As we go through the days leading up to celebrating your birth, may we remember that you have commanded us to love those around us as you loved. Amen

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Week One ~ Christmas

Men overlooked a baby's birth

When love unnoticed came to earth;

And later, seeking in the skies,

Passed by a man in workman's guise,

Only children passed to stare,

While God Incarnate made a chair.

~Mary Tatlow

Come, Thou long expected Jesus,

Born to set Thy people free;

From our sins and fears release us;

Let us find our rest in Thee.

Israel's strength and consolation,

Hope of all the earth Thou art;

Dear Desire of every nation,

Joy of every longing heart.

Amen!

~Charles Wesley (1744)

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The Contrast of Christmas

Numbers 24:17 (NIV)

".... A star will come out of Jacob;

a scepter will rise out of Israel....."

Matthew 2:1-12 (NLT)

1 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

3 King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem.

4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?” 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote: 6 ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. 8 Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”

9 After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! 11 They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12 When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.

Father what a contrast between the joyous hope of the Wisemen who sought to worship the newborn King and the jealous hatred of wicked Herod who sought to destroy the true King of the Jews. Yet Father, in your love, you sent your son filled with grace and truth, to bring the light of love and hope to a world totally shrouded in the deepest darkness of hostility and division. As the Scriptures so compassionately reminds us: "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." John 3:17 (ESV)

Father what a contrast Christmas exposes between light and darkness, love and hate, hope and fear, faith and unbelief, reception and rejection, life and death.

Thank you, Father, for the contrast of Christmas which reveals the grace of your love and the mercy of your forgiveness to all who believe in your beloved Son, Jesus our Savior and King. Amen.

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give us wise hearts

Father of All Wisdom,

We come to you asking that you might grant us to be wise people. Give us hearts filled with wisdom and understanding. In all of our ways, we pray that you would guide our steps that we would act wisely and honor you as we walk.

We pray that you would open us up to living and seeing differently. We repent of stubbornness and an unwillingness to change. Each day we ask to have softer hearts. We commit ourselves to you and your Son. Come Holy Spirit and guide us in wisdom. Amen

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make us peacemakers

Dear Father,

Your Son is called the Prince of Peace.

Help us to be people who bear his image.

Teach us the ways of peacemaking.

That we might bring blessings to others.

Lead us by the Spirit to see the other side.

That we might see with inner eyes.

Open our hearts to love people not like us.

That the world might know that we are yours.

Amen

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