Good Morning!
Let’s focus our day by spending some time with Jesus before it begins.
WORSHIP. Pick a Christmas song from one of our Spotify Playlists and let it play in the background.
THANK. Write down 3-5 things you’re thankful for in the last 24 hours.
READ. Today’s reading is from Isaiah 2:2-3, Jeremiah 31:15-17, Matthew 2 & Hebrews 1:1-3
PRAY. A Christmas Gift for You from SoulShepherding.org
“Advent Breath Prayers” features prayers of the heart inspired by the Bible characters in the Nativity. Mary offered a prayer of faith to receive the birth of Christ and the world has never been the same. Her prayer is like a breath of heaven for Christmas! It’s a powerful prayer of submission that helps us abandon the outcomes of situations to God. When God spoke to Mary that she was to become pregnant with the Messiah out of wedlock, she had many emotions. She may have wanted to hold onto life as she knew it and stay in control, but she stepped into the anxious unknown and yielded totally to God’s will. Then she experienced great dignity and joy! In the 21st Century, the Christmas season can be hectic for us. We may find our calendars too full of holiday activities. We may have family conflicts or financial problems to deal with. It may be a lonely time. These things—whether happy or unhappy—may distract us from appreciating the great joy of the Christ of Christmas.

Mary’s prayer of submission to God that birthed the first Christmas can birth Christmas in your heart today:
“Let it be to me… according to your Word” (Luke 1:38).

You might find it helpful to meditate on this Scripture by repeating it as you breathe it in and out:
Breathe in to appreciate the life of Christ flowing into you: “Let it be to me…”
Breathe out to submit to God: “...according to your Word.”
Smile as you pray! The Holy Spirit is helping you to breathe the heavens into your soul.

After you spend a little time meditating on this Breath Prayer from the Bible, try focusing your prayer on a particular stress or opportunity in your life that needs to be offered to God. To do this simply pray, “Lord, as I __________, let it be to me… according to your Word.”

You can practice repeating this prayer with a breath now and again as you go throughout your day. In this way, you can devote to the Lord each activity. When you try this for a day or more, you’ll be amazed at how you begin to experience the flow of God’s love, joy, and peace into your life and through you to those around you.
May this prayer of the heart facilitate the miracle of Christmas for you today!

*There will be no services at Paradox this morning. Merry Christmas!