God of New Life,
We thank you for what you are doing in the lives of Christians who have their spiritual ears attuned to your Spirit. We thank you for the ways in which you have used this Covid Chaos season to stop us in our tracks and realign us with your heart for us and your voice’s influence in our lives. We thank you for the places in this world where newly-alive and renewed hearts, minds, and spirits are praying, fasting, interceding, and begging mercy on this world. Thank you that as we walk through this Advent season, you have offered your Spirit to guide us through the realities of life – including family tensions, dysfunctional relationships, old/bad habits, grief of losing loved ones, and old baggage. We know that none of these hard things will be magically eliminated, but that you, our Emmanuel – God With Us – IS with us as we deal with them. You have made us to be led by the Spirit, not the flesh, so we pray for more of your Spirit as we walk forward in faith. Prepare our hearts once again to hear the Good News of Great Joy on Christmas. Thank you for Hope in the midst of trial and Light in the midst of darkness. Continue to lead us toward the manger and the New Life you are growing within us. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.
He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Cor. 3:6)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Cor. 5:17)
(Originally published 12/15/20)