December 25, 2020 |
Holy and righteous God, we praise you for another Christmas and New Year. Thank you, God, that over two thousand years ago, the One called “Emmanuel,” or “God with us,” broke into our human condition, bringing peace, redeeming love, and forgiveness of our sins. Instead of coming on behalf of the empire in power and might, Jesus was born into an impoverished family, always identifying with the despised and oppressed. He came as the Good News proclaimed by his mother, Mary, even before his birth, saying, ‘He has scattered the proud and haughty one. He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble.”
Lord today, help us to pause from the pain, deaths, sorrows, and chaos of 2020 caused by a once-in-a-century pandemic and by the failed national leadership and remember the reason for the season. Christmas means “Christ-mas”; a mass or celebration of Jesus as Savior of the world, echoed by the prophet Isaiah, “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders, and he will be called, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His Government and peace will never end” (Isaiah 9:6,7).
God help us to know as we enter a New Year, with new White House, Congress, and local leaders, that we, who have placed our faith in Jesus, as Lord of our lives have unique authority. We have the power of God’s Holy Spirit to face whatever comes our way. We have the guidance in the decisions we must make of the “Wonderful Counselor” to assist us. We have the power to overcome everything that will seek to defeat us with “Mighty God” on our side. We have the blessed assurance that “Everlasting Father” will never leave or forsake us no matter how big or overwhelming our problems. And, in our noisy, chaotic, and divided nation, we have the “Prince of Peace” to calm our spirits and assure us that God is forever with us to guide and protect us. We pray this prayer in the Mighty and Matchless names of Jesus Christ, our Lord. AMEN.
