For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God,

Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and of peace

there will be no end,

on the throne of David and over his kingdom,

to establish it and to uphold it with justice

and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

The Nativity, Albrecht Dürer, 1511

Father in Heaven, you rule in Heaven and on earth. Your dominion knows no end; it doesn’t stop when our world seems to be going wild, or when it meets the brokenness of men. You are King over all, and as our Good King we trust in you.

Thank you because you sent Jesus, Immanuel, God with Us. Oh, He has come indeed! He came into this world, He broke the timeline to which we are bound; He did what no other god can do: He became one of us.  He came to save us, and did not wait for us to seek Him. Jesus came, He made himself nothing, He came in the form of a man, and humbled himself taking the form of a servant, and even there He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross to save us from the curse, from the guilt, from the death penalty. He came to save me! Glorious Grace, scandalous grace, amazing grace!  The Glorious Impossible has come.  You gave us Jesus, Father,  and in Him all the treasures, all the mysteries of life are hidden. All that our soul longs for is found in Him. Thank you for Jesus!

Father, I pray that you will give us the faith, to each one of your children, to live like we have been truly redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, Jesus. Give us faith not to think and live like those who don’t know you. Give us a a bold faith to seek in You, in your Word, wise counsel. Oh, that we don’t seek advice in the latest trend, or in the stats, or in the government, or in those friends who don’t love your Word. Draw us to your Word, to Jesus.

Help us live as children of God, children of the Everlasting Father. Help us to love one another so that people will know, will recognize that we are truly your children. Help us do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility counting others as more significant than ourselves. Help us not to look only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others. Help us, Everlasting Father, to eat and drink, and move and come and go, and speak and listen, and feast and sing and do all mundane things as your children. Help us be poor in spirit, help us mourn for our sins and with those who are mourning, help us be meek and merciful. Help us, Everlasting Father, to be pure in heart, to be peacemakers,  and to endure persecution as many of your children have done before us. Help us live in such a way that people will be drawn to you, our everlasting Father.

Jesus, the Prince of Peace, came to fight a battle and to win it. The Prince of Peace came and crushed the Dragon’s head; He came and death could not hold him back. The Prince of Peace came and destroyed with His outstretched arm the power of sin over us. The Prince of Peace came and Hell trembled. He came and brought peace between the Father and His own. Oh, what a wonderful truth! Father, help us be like Jesus, that we may make peace where peace needs to be made. Help us to leave our offerings before the altar and go and be reconciled with our brothers and sisters. Help us, at the same time, to fight the good battle of faith. Help us not to faint, help us endure. Help us stand strong in the day of battle. Help us not to shiver before your enemies. Help us, O Lord, to keep peace.

Thank you, Father, because we can rest assured that Jesus’ Kingdom shall have no end. Thank you because the world will be filled with the glory of the knowledge of God just as the many waters cover the seas. Thank you because you reign overall, you are Sovereign, All Mighty. Thank you, Father, because as we celebrate in this season the fulfillment of your Promise, as we light candles and lights, and sing of the immense joy that fills our hearts,  we are reminded of the glorious truth that changed the world, that changed our hearts, that changed eternity: Jesus has come indeed!

In Jesus’ Precious and Powerful name I pray,

Amen

Becky