December is the month of least daylight, and can be a
season of darkness naturally or spiritually. What is coming up in your heart
about this special time of year? What do
you long for at Christmas?
Prompt:
Write
about your Tidings of Joy, Peace In the Midst of It All, Hope in the Darkness.
Is there a Christmas Carol or passage of Scripture that is especially speaking
to you this season? Or write about what you and God have been 'working
on' in your personal/family life this past year.
One
Little Star
Some years ago a Christmas
song with a twist became popular. A group sang a tranquil carol (“Silent Night”?)
against a backdrop of sounds of gunfire, sirens, fighting—war.
That is my Christmas season
this year. In the background of my own Christmas and celebration of Christ’s
birth, I hear the of The Paris attacks one dark Friday night, downing of two
Russian planes, war in the Middle East, the massive refugee situation.
Closer to home, the plunge
in oil prices has had a devastating effect on our provincial economy.
Individually, many have been laid off, not only in the oil patch.
Darkness.
How can the light of God
shine into that darkness?
The daily news has become my
prayer journal, but I’m wrestling with how to pray more specifically. What
strategies can God give me?
More important than exact
strategies, however, is that God is calling me to “stand in the gap” (Ezekiel
22:30). To ask God to open up doors of ministry. To raise up a nation of intercessors.
To stem the tide of terrorism. To take back our cities, our governments, our
world for Christ. To pray God’s heart for my province and country (both with
new governments).
My little prayers for such
great issues are all I have. But I think of my friend Debbie who at one point
was praying for Sudan. She wondered how her prayers could impact the whole
situation. God answered her one night by showing her the sky full of stars.
“See that little star?” He asked her. “That’s you, among all the other ‘stars’
that are praying.”
I was reminded that our
prayers are tiny lights, and that “The prayer of a righteous person has great
power as it is working” (James 5:16 ESV). Philip Yancey, in his book, Prayer, said it this way:
“prayer…summons an invisible spiritual force that can have real effects.”
And so this Christmas I
prayed for God to shine the light of His presence into our dark world.
And now over to you.
May the light of Christ
shine on your Christmas!
PS: As I finish writing InScribe blogs for this year, I
thank you for your contributions, for your wisdom, the way God is leading you, and
how your writing is impacting your life and lives of others.
Simon & Garfunkle's Silent Night 7 o'clock News is the piece you're remembering, Sandi. I was a teen when that came out. I still remember the shivers as a news anchor described world horrors in calm tones juxtaposed with a gentle Silent Night.
ReplyDeleteThese days I find Christians almost in a panic: What can I do? How can I help? The need is huge, and their hearts are exhausted by inaction. Your call to prayer is the biggest thing we can do in the moment. If we all stand in the gap, raise up the world leaders, the Christians, the power of the Holy Spirit in these areas of conflict and beyond, we ARE doing our part. From there, God will lead us, one at a time, one action at a time. May we all rise to this call.
Thank you, Bobbi. You said so eloquently what I was trying to articulate. :)
ReplyDeleteI like that picture of us as stars shining among many
ReplyDeleteThanks Tracy. That picture of us as stars shining among many has been such a vivid and gentle reminder that God has many who are praying for issues in the world.
DeleteYes. Yes. Yes. Standing in the gap and praying as one little star in the sky. How beautiful. I will remember that word picture as I pray. Thanks Sandi.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Connie, and thank you for your prayer for Incribe
DeleteThanks for your thought-provoking presentation of this month's prompt, Sandra. "How can the light of God shine into that darkness?" you ask. Christ says that we are the light of the world, so as you say in the poster, Sandi, we need to let our lights shine. When so much of the world is struggling, may God guide us to see what our part is in all of this.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sharon. May God guide you in expanding your part as you let your light shine.
DeleteA lovely call to prayer action, Sandi. Thanks. I read an article last week about how prayers are not enough. I don't agree. When we feel helpless (or joyful or thankful or brokenhearted), prayer is a huge undertaking and there is such power in prayer - not that it is like a giant magic wand, but more aptly, it indicates to God our faith and our motivation. Good job.
ReplyDeleteA lovely call to prayer action, Sandi. Thanks. I read an article last week about how prayers are not enough. I don't agree. When we feel helpless (or joyful or thankful or brokenhearted), prayer is a huge undertaking and there is such power in prayer - not that it is like a giant magic wand, but more aptly, it indicates to God our faith and our motivation. Good job.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder of the power in prayer, Glynis. Action is important, but sometimes there's not much we can do. I love the reminder that "Prayer is our life."
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