Advent Devotional for December 4th - Songs of Christmas Prayer by Chris Lee

Songs of Christmas Prayer by Chris Lee

Oh, Lord, my God

In this season of Advent and Christmas I spend much time in song
But I confess that much of this year my worship has ended when a church service ends
What have I been singing?
These songs of Good News
They continue to ring in the rafters of the sanctuary
And they never are heard in the streets
I confess that I have allowed my church to be a vault
where I lock up these songs when I walk out the doors
These songs of Good News
            These songs of love
May I live as I believe the stories in these songs are true

God, may you bless us this Christmas
             Not just us, but everyone
             Not just everyone in an abstract sense
                          But truly make yourself known to everyone this year
God, those you love, which is everyone
                          bless those I can’t admit that I hate
                          bless those that are my enemy
                          bless those who seem evil
                          bless those who are in need
                          bless those who are different than me
                          bless those who I don’t understand
                          bless those I think are ignorant
And God, may I realize
that I may fit into each of these second-rate classifications in someone else’s mind.
With that in mind, may I joyfully and worshipfully sing and live out these songs
               In the way of sharing these songs
                         These songs of Good News
                                    These songs of love
                                              These songs of joy
                  Sharing these songs because I know that you move in the midst of these truths
                              Sharing these songs because there are those you want to bless
                                          Those that I don’t usually take time to care for
                  Sharing these songs because I know that you also want to bless me
And God, may I come to a realization that you don’t desire to bless me more than another
And God, may I be willing to take these songs with me in a way that changes the way I live
    So that I may be the means through which you bless those I’ve allowed to be second-rate
In the name of the One who is the reason we sing these songs
          These songs of Good News
                    These songs of love
                             These songs of joy
                                    These songs of hope

AMEN!