flocks of [descendants of Ishmael]…. shall come up with acceptance on my altar.”
Isaiah 60, verses 1, 3, and 7
Dear Heavenly Father, we have arisen this morning to shine, radiant with the Light
that You sent into the world 2000 years ago. We praise You for prophets like Isaiah and
John, whose fulfilled prophecies give us confidence, and whose prophecies not yet
fulfilled give us hope.
We praise You for sending Your Light to Saul on his way to terrorize Christians in
Damascus, and thank You for his rebirth as Paul, who led us, the Gentiles, into Your fold.
Give us the courage of the good Ananias to be vulnerable for the sake of doing Your will.
Set us on fire with the possibility of sheltering a future Paul, someone who would accept
Your Light as the ultimate revelation of the One True God he (or she) only had known
dimly, and who would evangelize other descendants of Ishmael.
Continue to feed our bodies and souls and move us to share Your generosity with
those who have no place to lay their heads. Remind us that Joseph, Mary, and the Light
of the World Himself were refugees escaping a murderous Herod. Protect us from evil
so we won’t be tempted to retaliate.
so we won’t be tempted to retaliate.
When we do have to render to You the vengeance that’s Yours anyway, help us
take the second step to forgiveness and do good to those who have done evil to us.
No matter what our natural, deceiving hearts feel, let us love and obey Your law
because doing Your work changes us, creating in us a right spirit and giving us
Your heart of compassion and mercy so that we may be forgiven.
take the second step to forgiveness and do good to those who have done evil to us.
No matter what our natural, deceiving hearts feel, let us love and obey Your law
because doing Your work changes us, creating in us a right spirit and giving us
Your heart of compassion and mercy so that we may be forgiven.
In this season of literal and figurative darkness, and in the coming year, perfect our
love and evict our fears. Let the boots we put on the ground be those of the gospel of
peace. Make us a people of good will on whom Your favor rests.
We pray these things in the name of Your Son, the Light of the World, Jesus. Amen.
—opening prayer by Lee Harlin Bahan
Vallonia Christian Church 12-20-2015
Vallonia Christian Church 12-20-2015
