Originally written as an opening prayer for an Advent season worship service:
Father God, since childhood Christmas has evoked in us all manner of feelings: joy, excitement, anticipation.
But as our understanding of Christmas has grown, what happened at that first Christmas now causes us to stand amazed — that you, the sovereign Lord of all the universe would come in search of us, to relieve us of our burden of sin, to rescue us from hopelessness, and to offer us entrance into your presence and a role to play in the unfolding of your purposes.
Father, thank you that Christmas tells us just how much you have set your affection on us.
May we never take lightly what you have done on our behalf through the life, the death, and the resurrection of Him who became as we are that we might become as He is.
We offer our thanks to you in the name of Jesus the Christ, the visible expression of the invisible God.
