26th. December. 2020. Daily Devotion.

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 Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ~ Isaiah 9:6

The Christmas spirit — the real spirit, the tremendous joy at celebrating God’s incarnation to save us from our sins — is downright contagious. This is not the happiness of seeing pretty decorations or having new bicycles and game boxes or drinking eggnog. It is the more enduring and real knowledge that God loves us and proved it to us, 2,000 years ago, by sending us Himself wrapped in a package that looked just like us. When we give presents, when we give the gift of love, when we become generous, we imitate God.

So, spread the good news. The news is just as good as we head into 2021 as it was in 3 A.D. There is something better than the greedy and self-centred world we live in, something better than slowly growing feeble and dying. There is true goodness and eternal life, available for all who would come to worship the little baby, humbly lying in a feed trough in a barn. Of all places! M. Barge.

Lord God, I give you my greatest thanks for the greatest gift of all time. Amen.

Praise and adoration be to our God, for he is good. His grace and mercy fill the heavens and earth. Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving, and joyfully praise our creator. As a father, he loves us, his children. Sing his praises with joyful thanks in love and devotion! Let us love him who has loved us since the world began. Who would not love God from the heart? We cannot give him adequate praise. Still, in heaven he receives with goodwill our joyful songs of praise and pours much joy into our souls, whenever we thank him, whenever we live in him.

Sing to Jesus Christ praise, thanks and glory, for he came from heaven to destroy sin and death for us and by his precious, willing sacrifice, restored innocence and peace. Already here on earth he renews joy and life to us by his grace. Still greater bliss is prepared there for those who love him when one day they will be renewed in his image, made new and holy, and awakened from death. Let us rejoice in our holy God! Let us rejoice in our eternal God! How blessed it is to praise him here, and then in heaven. He is our holiness! He is our life! He always loves us, his children. Amen. Schleswig-Holstein Church 1797, On the Feast of the birth of Jesus.

Prayer for the Love of Jesus

Ah! sweet Jesus, pierce the marrow of my soul with the healthful arrows of your love, that it may truly burn, and melt, and languish, with the desire for you alone; that it may desire to be dissolved and to be with you; let it hunger alone for the bread of life; let it thirst after you, the spring and fountain of eternal light, the stream of true pleasure; let it always desire you, seek you, and find you, and sweetly rest in you. Amen. Prayer of St. Bonaventura d 1274.

Coronavirus Prayer

Keep us, good Lord, under the shadow of your mercy in this time of uncertainty and distress. Sustain and support the anxious and the fearful and lift up all who are brought low; that we may rejoice in your comfort knowing that nothing can separate us from your live in Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.