A Christmas Prayer by Robert Louis Stevenson

O God our loving Father, help us rightly to remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the wise men. May Christmas morning make us happy to be Thy children and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake, amen.

—Robert Louis Stevenson

A Prayer for Treasuring and Pondering Jesus by Scotty Smith

     So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:16-19

Dear Lord Jesus, it’s hard not to be in awe of Mary’s calling to nurse God the Son and raise the Son of God. Even as I write these words, I realize what a holy mystery the incarnation was. You, the very God who created all things—who sustains all things, and who is making all things new—you humbled yourself and drew life-giving nourishment from a young maiden’s breast. Oh, holy mystery and glorious gospel.

And Mary “treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart”—a response that requires a slower pace and quiet reflection. “Hurrying off” like a shepherd to tell others about you has always been easier for me than sitting still and letting you tell me about yourself.

It’s always been easier for me to talk than to listen—to stay busy than to relax; to be “productive” than to be meditative. I confess this as sin, Jesus. This isn’t okay, for knowing about you is not the same thing as knowing you. An informed mind is not the same thing as an enflamed heart.

To know you is eternal life, and I do want to know you, Lord Jesus, so much better than I already do. I want increasingly to treasure you in my heart and ponder the wonder of who you are. I want to live at the pace of grace, not the pace of the swirling life around me.

I want to more deeply contemplate everything you’ve already accomplished through your life, death, and resurrection; everything you’re presently doing as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords; and everything you will be to us in the new heaven and new earth—Bridegroom to beloved bride. There is so much to take in and treasure!

Lord Jesus, I repent of my much-ness and many-ness—for, at times, living more of a driven life than a called life.  In this season of Advent, may I be able to say in a fresh and sincere way, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Ps. 73:25-26). So very Amen I pray, in your peerless and priceless name.

Salvation and Grace: A Prayer From John Chrysostom

O my all-merciful God and Lord,
Jesus Christ, full of pity:
Through Your great love You came down
and became incarnate in order to save everyone.
O Savior, I ask You to save me by Your grace!
If You save anyone because of their works,
that would not be grace but only reward of duty,
but You are compassionate and full of mercy!

You said, O my Christ,
“Whoever believes in Me shall live and never die.”
If then, faith in You saves the lost, then save me,
O my God and Creator, for I believe.
Let faith and not my unworthy works be counted to me, O my God,
for You will find no works which could account me righteous.

O Lord, from now on let me love You as intensely as I have loved sin,
and work for You as hard as I once worked for the evil one.
I promise that I will work to do Your will,
my Lord and God, Jesus Christ, all the days of my life and forever more.

- John Chrysostom

Binding And Loosing Prayer: Tom White

"For those in need of deliverance  I advise a two-track mode of binding and loosing prayer. I ask the Spirit to make the person sick of his or her sin, to plant seeds of truth in the person's mind and, if for an unbeliever, to stir the person to seek salvation. I also ask the Holy Spirit to silence, subdue and separate demonic influence from the person, thus allowing him/her to respond to truth. Having done this, I wait and watch for God to open doors and bring opportunity to work directly with the one in bondage."

- Tom White, The Believer's Guide To Spiritual Warfare, page 202

The Hidden Life of Prayer

"Certainly, if we are to have a quiet hour set down in the midst of a hurry of duties, and to keep that time inviolate, we must exercise both planning and self-denial. We must be prepared to forego many things that are pleasant, and some things that are profitable. Let no one who can find time for their vanities say that they do not have enough time for prayer."

- David M'Intyre in The Hidden Life of Prayer, p. 39.

Morning Prayer - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

MORNING PRAYER

O God, early in the morning I cry to you.
Help me to pray
And to concentrate my thoughts on you:
I cannot do this alone.
In me there is darkness,
But with you there is light;
I am lonely, but you do not leave me;
I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help;
I am restless, but with you there is peace.
In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience;
I do not understand your ways,
But you know the way for me…
Restore me to liberty,
And enable me to live now
That I may answer before you and before me.
Lord, whatever this day may bring,
Your name be praised.

- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Cast Your Cares on God - St. Augustine of Hippo

Behold, O Lord,
I cast all my cares on You,
that I may live
and see wondrous things out of Your Law.
You know my incompetence and my infirmities;
teach me and heal me.
Your only Son,
He in whom are hid all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge,
has redeemed me with His blood.
                                - St. Augustine of Hippo