Luke 2:13-14 — And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
*******
CHRISTMAS MORNING by Larry Kiewel
I awoke.
Always a surprise, actually.
I lay quietly
As first light began its progress.
Precipitation was chased against
My window by a gale force wind.
The dog lay quietly on the floor.
My partner slept loudly beside me.
I did an inventory.
I was warm and dry.
I knew where all my children were.
I knew that their children were
Safe and warm and as
Happy as young people can be.
What a blessing to wake on a
Blessed morning to peace
In my miniature world.
Perhaps every morning
Is a Christmas morning.
———————————-
Not everyone awakes this morning to such peace in their ‘miniature world,’ but we can, as the poem expresses nicely, be grateful for the blessings of whatever temporary peace we do have in this life, for however long it lasts. And because ‘a Savior has been born to us,’ we can rejoice in the promise of that eternal peace in God’s eternal home.
*******
Colossians 1:2b — Grace and peace to you from God our Father.
James 1:17 — Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father…
*******
TWO CHRISTMAS PRAYERS
By Henry Van Dyke (1852-1933), from A Treasury of Christmas Stories
A PRAYER FOR CHRISTMAS MORNING
The day of joy returns, Father in Heaven, and crowns another year with peace and good will.
Help us rightly to remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the wise men.
Close the doors of hate and open the doors of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil, by the blessing that Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clean hearts.
May the Christmas morning make us happy to be Thy children, and the Christmas evening bring us to our bed with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
***********************
A CHRISTMAS PRAYER FOR THE HOME
Father of all men, look upon our family,
Kneeling together before Thee,
And grant us a true Christmas.
With loving heart we bless Thee:
For the gift of Thy dear Son Jesus Christ,
For the peace He brings to human homes,
For the good-will He teaches to sinful men,
For the glory of Thy goodness shining in His face.
With joyful voice we praise Thee:
For His lowly birth and His rest in the manger,
For the pure tenderness of His mother Mary,
For the fatherly care that protected Him,
For the Providence that saved the Holy Child
To be the Savior of the world.
With deep desire we beseech Thee:
Help us to keep His birthday truly,
Help us to offer, in His name, our Christmas prayer.
From the sickness of sin and the darkness of doubt,
From selfish pleasures and sullen pains,
From the frost of pride and the fever of envy,
God save us every one, through the blessing of Jesus.
In the health of purity and the calm of mutual trust,
In the sharing of joy and the bearing of trouble,
In the steady glow of love and the clear light of hope,
God keep us every one, by the blessing of Jesus.
In praying and praising, in giving and receiving,
In eating and drinking, in singing and making merry,
In parents’ gladness and in children’s mirth,
In dear memories of those who have departed,
In good comradeship with those who are here,
In kind wishes for those who are far away,
In patient waiting, sweet contentment, generous cheer,
God bless us every one, with the blessing of Jesus.
By remembering our kinship with all men,
By well-wishing, friendly speaking and kindly doing,
By cheering the downcast and adding sunshine to daylight,
By welcoming strangers (poor shepherds or wise men),
By keeping the music of the angels’ song in this home,
God help us every one to share the blessing of Jesus:
In whose name we keep Christmas:
And in whose words we pray together…The Lord’s Prayer
Related Posts
