A brief prayer is offered that you can add to your daily
prayers this week. The scripture is from our Sunday Service Bulletin for
today. Today is the fourth Advent sermon
where we explore “Christmas” as an adjective instead of a noun. The prayer and
an idea for the devotion conclusion came from the LSB, page 2124.
EPISTLE READING
Hebrews 12:1-3 (English Standard Version)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely,
and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to
Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set
before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right
hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider Him who endured from sinners such
hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
Devotion: Christmas
Cheer
When I mention “Christmas cheer”, some folks think of a
liquid libation of some sort. If I say just “cheer” you might think of what a
cheer leader does: shouts of encouragement, praise, and joy. The kind of “Christmas
Cheer” we are talking about today is cheerfulness, optimism, or confidence. The
text today uses a foot race as a metaphor for life. Our existence here is more
like a marathon than a sprint and the writer urges us to have endurance to make
it as a Christian all the way to the finish. We do have cheerleaders: the “cloud
of witnesses” are the saints who have gone before us and are praying and
cheering us on. Our joy this time of year should be about celebrating the birth
of our Savior and the knowledge that He would give His life that we might live
eternally. Have you noticed how so many of our uplifting Christmas songs have
these words: Happy, Jolly, Merry, Joy,
Wonderful? This time of year can cause
us to be overwhelmed by the stress of earthly events. If this happens can we
focus on the fact that Jesus, through His grace has blessed us and in Him our
race is already won! Let’s crank up the carols and try for some Christmas
Cheer.
We pray: Lord give me
the endurance to do Your will. Amen
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