MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Rejoice in awe and wonder! Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), was born today! As we remember, rejoice, and worship Him today, let us also pray for the grace to imitate Him by doing our part (by His grace) to bring peace on Earth.
As we’ve followed the story of the incarnation, especially in the verses over the past week, we have seen the real humanness of those whom God chose to work in and through. They were afraid, confused, and unsure, but they followed God’s will and trusted Him, even when they couldn’t understand or when what was ahead seemed impossible to endure. This is precisely what faith is, and faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit that we should pray for continually.
God became human for a reason. He knows that life will likely not be easy for us. He showed us that by being born in a barn with animals — rejected right from the start! He knows that it can be hard to push forward, to have hope, and to extend love. God came, and he comes to us today, in and through human weakness and imperfection; in doubts and confusion, and in the chaos and stress of life.
By becoming incarnate in this way, Jesus has shown us that, despite all of our imperfections, and the instability of life on Earth, love can be nurtured, protected, and made manifest. By the awesome power of the Holy Spirit that has been given to us, we too can bring God’s love and light into the darkness of the world. This is what we are called to do.
Today — CELEBRATE!! REJOICE AND BE GLAD!!!
Pray the Advent Prayer..
Click the video below to listen to today’s song for reflection.
Prayerfully read Luke 2:8-20 and Philippians 4:4-7.
Praise God for the gift of His birth and the rebirth of his Spirit within you.
Have a conversation with God about your Advent Prayer Journey. You may want to thank the Holy Spirit for accompanying you and express gratitude for the blessings you have received over these weeks.
Pray for the grace of understanding how you may continually nourish and protect God’s Spirit within, so that you may give birth to His Spirit of love in your life and in the world.
Song: Joy to the World.