Father,
At one time you were angry with us. There was a time when we did not believe you and lived selfishly, and unthankfully, giving no attention to your commands.
Yet you are a God who loves your enemies. Though we had made ourselves worthless through rebellious living, you desired to bring us comfort and joy. And so you sent our Lord, the God-man, who willingly suffered an agonizing death that your anger toward us might be turned away.
This part of your plan you accomplished long ago, but in our own lives, your Spirit lifted the demonic mind-blinding that deceived each one of us and revealed to our inner being that the glorious gospel is true.
And so you from whose punishment we needed to be saved have yourself become the one who saved us. Whatever else of you and your ways remain mysterious to us, by the blood of Christ we know with certainty that you love us. And knowing you love us, we love you, and loving you, our fear is cast out, and being thus saved and loved and freed, our souls are filled with a torrent of joy. And because of our joy, we make known to others the great things you have done.
Each of us, when we first came to you, came helplessly, with great humility and dependence, giving up our whole lives to you. Strangely, this was not misery, but you filled this poverty of spirit with deep joy. But after this, we often drift back into self reliance and think we’re in some ways better than others and try to maintain a subtle pride that even affects the expression on our face. This leads us into bitterness and anger and conflict. Also, we often gradually give more and more attention to getting money, and in that pursuit, fill ourselves with much unhappiness. Restore to us the joy that comes with poverty of spirit, counting everything as worthless compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ and the hope of the inheritance of the eternal kingdom.
For those among us who are sick, give them joy in their inner person that cannot be taken away. For those who are lonely, give them the joy of fellowship with you. For those who have people working against them, give them the joy of faith in your care. For those who do not know you, give them the joy of being enlightened and loving Jesus for the first time. For those who cry to you for help, give them the joy of seeing you act powerfully in their circumstances. For those who desire to know you more, give them yourself from whom all joy comes.
As we continue to celebrate the birth of our Lord through this season, I ask that you would help us to be full of the fruit of the spirit, especially peace and hope and joy and love. Free us from all anxiety. And let this be evident to our family and friends so that they may ask us the reason for the hope that is in us and then put words in our mouths that you made so that they may desire to join us in praising you.
Please bless this service and our fellowship together. May all that is done and said bring honor to Jesus and advance the influence of his kingdom both in our hearts and in the world.