From my book Prayers for All Seasons (Book 2), a prayer of Christmas praise, celebrating the sheer joy of this season.
Gracious God,
this is a time which means so much to us
and which says so much in so many different ways,
but if there is one thing which stands out above all others,
it is the joy you brought through the birth of Jesus.
A child is born for us,
a son is given –
with joy we greet him!
When Mary learned she was to be the mother of the Saviour
she sang out her praises,
and when Elizabeth greeted her,
the baby in her womb leapt for joy.
When the multitude of angels appeared to the shepherds,
they proclaimed news of great joy for all people,
and when both shepherds and wise men
had seen the Lord for themselves,
they were overwhelmed by the wonder of it all,
going on their way rejoicing.
Time and again it was the same story of spontaneous celebration.
A child is born for us,
a son is given –
with joy we greet him!
Gracious God,
in all the hustle and bustle of Christmas,
the ceremony and tradition with which we surround it,
we can lose sight, sometimes, of the joy at its heart.
We can put so much energy into having a good time,
that we forget what it is we are meant to be celebrating,
only, when it is over, to be left with a sense of emptiness,
a feeling that it hasn’t been like Christmas at all.
Help us to enjoy all the fun and festivity,
the love and laughter,
the giving and receiving,
but help us also to keep in mind
the reality at the heart of this season,
the message which it is finally all about.
A child is born for us,
a son is given –
with joy we greet him!
May the glad tidings of the angels,
the news of great joy for all people,
stir afresh our imagination,
so that we may experience and understand for ourselves
the great truth of Christmas –
that a Saviour is born who is Christ the Lord.
A child is born for us,
a son is given –
with joy we greet him!
Gracious God,
this is a time for rejoicing,
for celebration,
for exulting in your goodness.
We praise and thank you for the wonder of your love
and for the supreme demonstration of that love
in Jesus Christ.
A child is born for us,
a son is given –
with joy we greet him!
Amen.