Heavenly Father I praise You for creating us with hope and faith. I praise You that especially during this season I can find hope in this very dark, lonely sin-filled world. It is a very hard time of year for me with the loss of my son and how much life has changed. I have learned that my joy and hope come from You. I praise You opening my eyes and heart to Your presence daily in my life.
Holy Spirit, You inspired Isaiah to prophesy: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon ME because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. That they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” [Isaiah 61:1-3, MEV] Christ would read this to the people in Nazareth many, many years later as an adult to the people proclaiming that He was the fulfillment of this prophecy which is recorded in Luke 4: 16-21.
The Christmas season has for the past years been a time of hope, celebration, and renewed faith. It has also been a time of depression, loneliness, and pain for many. Holy Spirit help me and my brothers and sisters rekindle the hope of Christmas and help shine a new light where only darkness has held onto so many. Help us all to see that even as Israel is under attack, the Middle East is in upheaval, the war in Ukraine still rages on, the evil that has come from other areas of the world like North Korea, China, etc., etc., You are still with us and on the throne in heaven. Help us to be looking for the return of Christ. Help us to be able to account for the hope that lies within us and help us to articulate this to a world where only hate and selfishness seem to prevail.
But, beloved, remember the words that were previously spoken by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last days there will be scoffers who will walk after their ungodly desires.” These are the men who cause divisions, sensual, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith. Pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in the love of God while you are waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, which leads to eternal life. Some have compassion, using discernment. Others save with fear while pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. Now to Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with rejoicing, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen. Jude 17-24 (MEV)