My daughter’s face lit with joy this morning when she realized that Christmas is only a few days away.
Yep, after weeks of counting the days, it’s actually almost here!
I’m trying to look past the muddle of last minute things I need to finish up. Instead, I want my heart to rest in Him. I want His peace to chase away chaos and His light to penetrate the darkness of a focus narrowed in on my checklist.
Oh, Lord, as the days and minutes tick down, fill my heart with room for your presence! Come and fill me. Then, let me see Christmas and all my to-do’s in your glorious light!
I have presents to wrap, deliveries to make, housecleaning to do, and food to cook. But my prayer is that as I go about my duties, I would carry the joy and intimacy I find with my Savior each morning into the subsequent moments of the day. I pray that His light will change my perspective.
As I wrap presents, let me remember the love that you wrap me in, Lord.
As I deliver gifts, let me remember how you’ve come, Jesus, to deliver my soul.
As I clean, let me remember how your earthly sacrifice secured the washing away of my sin.
As I cook, let me remember that you, Jesus, are the true Manna from Heaven that came down to earth to feed and sustain my spirit.
I’m praying that you, too, can find joy and meaning in these last few days before Christmas. Ask Him to prepare room in your heart and then look forward with expectant joy. He will meet you and reveal Himself in unexpected ways.
If you’d like to read more thoughts about Jesus coming to fill our hearts with light and peace, check out this post I wrote at DoNotDepart about the Christmas carol, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel:
“As an adult, this carol is one of my favorites! The words to the song drip rich with meaning… and the older and busier I get at Christmastime the more I long for Jesus. I long for Him to come, ushering in His presence and peace.
…Oh, what great joy we have as Believers in Christ Jesus! We can rejoice (and rejoice again!) because our Savior, the rod of Jesse, has come! Like the lyrics to this carol state, He cheers our spirits and puts the shadow of death to flight with His marvelous light…
Pray with me? Precious Lord Jesus, I thank you that you have come! You’ve come to set the captives free and ransom my soul from lonely exile apart from your presence. I ask that in the busy days between now and the celebration of your birth on Christmas day, you fill my heart with peace, hope, and great rejoicing. May your light be reflected in me and spill out onto a dark world who needs knowledge of your arrival! In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Merry Christmas to you and yours! May you find true peace and joy in His presence as you celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ!
Ali
Heartfelt Reflections 