A Christmas Prayer

Twenty years ago Concordia Publishing House published Real Men Pray: Prayer Thoughts for Husbands and Fathers, a book of devotional prayers that I had written. For this Christmas week I would like to share the prayer for Christmas.

This is Your day, Father.

Easter belongs to Jesus and

            His victory over death,

            but Christmas belongs to you.

I cannot imagine the struggle You must have

            gone through.

You allowed Your Son to become a

            human being and not only face

            the humiliation of a human life

            but even death itself.

And Jesus did it for the sake of all people,

            many of whom could not have cared less.

Sometimes this fact restrains my Christmas

            celebration.

All the world appears joyful as

            “Peace on earth” becomes the cliché

            of the day.

Everybody becomes religious as they

            celebrate the birth of a Child

            they might not know personally.

Father, others might struggle to understand

            my melancholy attitude.

As a father, I reflect on your cost.

I pray that You would make me a disciple

            worthy of the price You and Jesus paid.

As a sinner, I know I can never measure up.

And as a redeemed saint,

            I know I can never stop trying.

Father, thank you for Christmas and the new life

            You have given me.  

Amen.