A Prayer of Celebration for Jesus’ Birth
By Lynette Kittle
Bible Verse:
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”--Isaiah 9:6
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The birth of a baby brings much joy to families. The miracle of new life is a time to celebrate and look forward to watching an infant grow into a toddler, child, teenager, and adult. With each baby comes renewed hope for the future of a family. Like individuals welcome babies into their families, God brought Jesus into the world as a baby to be welcomed into our hearts. As John 3:16 explains, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Jesus’ birth is a time for great celebration. Although born hidden away in an obscure stable, His appearing brought the most spectacular baby announcement on Earth, with angels breaking forth from Heaven to bring the Good News of His birth. Talk about presentation! The Bible records a baby announcement like no other to ever occur on our planet.
Heaven Comes Down to Earth
Luke 2:9-12 describes what happened to shepherds one night, who were just quietly minding their own business, living out in the fields, caring for and watching over their flocks.
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’”
If one glowing angel appearing wasn’t enough to get the shepherds’ attention and stop them in their tracks, God’s great joy and delight broke through from Heaven to light up the earth, as Luke 2:13-14 describes.
“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.’”
3 Ways to Celebrate Jesus’ Birth
Still, how can we celebrate the Good News of Jesus’ birth? The shepherds’ responses provide the answer.
- First, they sought to see Jesus for themselves. As written in Luke 2:15-16, “When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.”
- Secondly, the shepherds spread the word of Jesus’ birth, as recorded in Luke 2:17-18. “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.”
- Thirdly, they glorified and praised God. Luke 2:20 describes how “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” Although surprised in the night, the shepherds recognized that the birth of Jesus is to be celebrated.
Let’s Pray:
Dear Father,
Like Your glory burst into the shepherds lives that dark, silent night, announcing the birth of Your precious only son Jesus, we ask You to burst into our hearts today. Fill us with the same kind of joy and celebration the shepherds experienced within their hearts so long ago. Dispel the darkness of our nights with the splendor of Your glory and light. Help us to rejoice at the depth of Your love and the miracle of Jesus’ birth. Let us celebrate Jesus’ birth this Christmas and every day of the coming year like the shepherds did, by seeing Him for ourselves, spreading the Good News of His coming, and by glorifying and praising You in our lives.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/jchizhe
Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.
Editor's Note: We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You'll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.
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