My Christmas Prayer

My life is fragile. It is not robust. I have been thinking about my life, my fragile life. 

I remember that day after my stroke when several people came to my house to pray for me. As we talked, I was asked what I wanted them to pray for. My left eye, my numbness, my strength, they wanted some guidance as they prayed. My answer was this: I want to feel well. I think they were hoping for something more concrete, but I knew what I wanted, I wanted to feel well. If my eyesight was restored, if my right side started working again, if my strength returned, man but would be great. But that wouldn’t matter much if I didn’t feel well.  

I can remember those days. Sitting in my chair, desperately wanting to feel well. Day after day. I remember all the times when we had to cancel our plans. Friends who wanted to see me, and I had to cancel, sometimes over and over again.

I can remember wanting to go to the jobsite at the camp where I was working. I remember scheduling a day to go to camp when the people I knew would be there. And it didn’t happen, I just didn’t feel well enough. After a couple tries, I gave up. I told my friends at camp that I don’t know if I will be able to get there.  It took almost six months before I felt good enough to make the trip to the camp.

Remembering how things were is important. I am grateful for the healing that is going on in my life. And I am so thankful for the days when I feel well. But the fact remains, my life is fragile. The last couple of months had been hard. I start to feel better and then I don’t. Back and forth. Never really feeling well. I know it is better than it was, and I am not complaining, but my prayer remains the same, I want to feel well.

On the back of the bulletin at church last week was a Christmas prayer. It is based on a well known prophecy of Isaiah as he foretold what God was doing to do, the gift that he gave to those who walked in darkness.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9.6  It was a simple prayer with a couple lines for every name that was mentioned in the prophecy.  But as I read through that prayer I realized the magnitude of the gift that was given that first Christmas day.  Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

These words spoke to me. Particularly two of the names.  Mighty God…you are God my strength. You are sovereign over my greatest problems, and stronger than my greatest fears. Remind me that when I am weak, you are strong, and that your grace is more than sufficient for my every need.

For obvious reasons that was something I needed to hear as I thought about my fragile life.  It is what I need to remember, not that I am weak, but that you are strong. Those words matter so much to me.

But this surprised me, in fact, when I read this it blew me away. Prince of Peace…you are God my shalom. Bring healing to all that’s broken in this world today – and all that’s broken in my life. Bring peace to strained relationships. Bring peace to those grieving great loss. And bring peace to every anxious heart and worried mind.

As I read those words. I remembered something, I was transported to a memory, something had happened early on after the stroke. Man, it was almost the first thing that I could recall as I came home from the hospital and I decided to go to church. There I had an experience, I got a glimpse of God’s peace. It was amazing. It was indescribable. 

As I sit here, I’m remembering that day, that day when I couldn’t talk or read or write, where I couldn’t comprehend what was going on in my life. All I could do was sit there. And God showed up, the Prince of Peace sat with me there for a while and I experienced his peace, shalom.  

As I read those words, those words penned 700 years before it came to be. Man, the gift he gave me is amazing. The Prince of Peace brings healing to all that’s broken in this world today … and all that’s broken in my life as well. 

I don’t wish for you what happened to me. But I hope that you can experience, with me, the gift of Jesus in a new way.

A Christmas Prayer

Wonderful Counselor…you are God my wisdom. I need your guidance and direction in my life today.  Direct my heart, mind, body and soul into wise and righteous paths. Give me wisdom to handle all the difficult decisions and relational demons I will face this Christmas season.

Mighty God…you are God my strength.  You are sovereign over my greatest problems, and stronger than my greatest fears. Remind me that when I am weak, you are strong, and that your grace is more than sufficient for my every need.

Everlasting Father…you are God my hope. When I find myself slipping into despair, remind me of your promise that you will never leave nor forsake me. Be a loving father to those of us who feel like orphans. May we find hope in being able to call upon you as our Abba-Father.

Prince of Peace…you are God my shalom. Bring healing to all that’s broken in this world today – and all that’s broken in my life. Bring peace to strained relationships. Bring peace to those grieving great loss. And bring peace to every anxious heart and worried mind.

Jesus..you are the God who saves.  You are the good news of great joy announced by the angels – news that is for all people! You save us from our sins, rescue us from our enemies, and protect us from ourselves. 

Today we proclaim you as our Wonderful Counselor, our Mighty God, our Everlasting Father, and our Prince of Peace – all contained in your name which is above all names – Jesus – our savior and our Lord.

In whose name we pray – Amen