O Holy God,
As we reflect on this Christmas season,
Our souls magnify you,
Our spirits rejoice in our God, our Savior.
For you have looked upon the humble estate of your servants.
You have brought to us the Christ,
And behold, from now on,
All generations will call us blessed (cf. Luke 1:46-48)
And we bless and exalt you, O God,
For you have visited and redeemed your people.
You have raised up a Savior for us
From the kingly line of David, to be our King. (cf. Luke 1:68-69)
You have shown to us
The mercy promised to our fathers.
You have remembered your holy covenant
And have kept your solemn promises to Abraham,
Delivering your people from all our slavery and enemies,
Setting us free to serve you without fear,
By making us holy and righteous, all our days,
Through faith in your Son. (cf. Luke 1:72-75)
We give glory to you, from our lowly position
And be glorified also, O God, in the highest of places!
Through your Son, continue to bring peace
In and through your people (cf. Luke 2:14).
Help us to treasure up the meaning of Christmas
How scandalous, marvelous, and majestic it is
That the Almighty would become a child,
That the Prince would taste our poverty,
That the Righteous One would be given up for our sins.
Give us minds to ponder these things in our hearts
And give us manners of life,
To ever be glorifying and praising you
For all we have seen and heard (cf. Luke 2:19-20)
We thank you, God, for the privilege you have given us –
That we can depart in peace,
Having received your Son, and your salvation
This good news is to be broadcasted to the nations,
Believed on by your church,
And beloved to your people. (cf. Luke 2:29-30)
There is no greater glory than that of Jesus.
And so we thank you for Christ, for Christmas,
And for being brought together
Through the birth of your Son
And through his body, broken at the cross.
May this Christmas be marked afresh
By renewed worship and reverent wonder
We ask all this in the great name of Jesus, AMEN.
(Feel free to read this prayer in your churches or homes this Christmas season! I hope to share this at some point with the PCA church I pastor, Fellowship Reformed Church in Mount Pleasant, MI).
