God Bless Us Everyone

As I have begun wrapping presents and meticulously placing them under the tree, I cannot help but think of those that have entered the season facing an empty place. As a nation and world, we have endured a season of sickness. Some of us have experienced tragedy outside of the pandemic that has changed us all. We have grieved. We have pressed forward despite the debilitating sadness and void that now exists. How can we keep putting one foot in front of the other?

For me, the answer is simple. I am a Christian. My hope is not in this world but in Christ alone. He is my hiding place, my safety net, my strength and my song.

This afternoon, wrapping presents, I followed my usual tradition of watching "Muppet Christmas Carol" during Christmas preparations. I love traditions. They give a sense of normalcy even when life is anything but normal. This particular tradition is loosely based on A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. The resounding quote from this classic literary work is Tiny Tim's declaration, "God bless us, everyone." I stopped wrapping, and Holy Spirit whispered that this needs to be my prayer.

The source of peace, the author of comfort, God with us...bless us. We are broken. We are sad. We trust You, Jesus, even when we don't understand the circumstances. We humbly seek you, God, knowing that you are near to us as you have been all year. Your peace is perfect, and we are so grateful that during this season, we are reminded of the amazing gift of your love, peace, and salvation in the form of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I encourage you to pray this prayer as we finish out 2020. God bless us everyone and peace on Earth.

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