Our Dear Heavenly Father;
Thank YOU for this new day
and for the sun that is always shining.
Thank YOU that YOU have designed the sun
to beam down it’s rays upon us
to provide us with warmth and light.
Thank YOU that YOU are always thinking of us
with love in YOUR heart.
Thank YOU that YOU see our needs.
Thank You that You have made provision
for our greatest need:
to be set free from our sin,
from the bondage of our sin
and the consequences of our sin
against YOU.
Thank YOU that YOU have given us
YOUR holy Word that warns us
that the payment for our sin
against YOU is death.
Thank YOU that YOU are merciful,
as well as holy and just.
Thank YOU that in YOUR loving grace
YOU’VE planned ahead of time
to provide a way for all to be saved.
Thank YOU that YOU teach us
in YOUR holy word that there is a place
that YOU have reserved for the devil
and the fallen angels
who have rebelled against YOU.
Thank YOU that YOU have warned us
in YOUR holy Word of this place of torment
where those who die in their sin must go
because they have rejected YOU
by rejecting YOUR free Gift of Salvation
through faith in Christ alone.
Thank YOU that YOU’VE warned us
that in this place of sepatation from YOU
there will be gnashing of teeth
and eternal torment in the lake of fire:
there is place for punishment of sin called hell.
Thank YOU that YOU also encourage us
in YOUR holy Word
that there is also a place
where YOU live in Heaven:
A place of majestic wonder,
a place where YOUR glory is seen
and where all will live in perfect holiness
and worship YOU around YOUR throne.
Thank YOU that YOU have told us
in YOUR holy Word
that YOU are preparing mansions in Heaven
for all who would come to YOU by faith.
Thank YOU that YOU have provided
YOUR free Gift of Salvation from sin,
from death and the torments of hell
for all who will come to YOU in faith.
Thank You that You have sent Jesus
from Heaven to live among us.
Thank YOU that YOU chose
for Jesus to be born of a virgin,
a woman untouched sexually by a man,
as a sign to show YOUR power over all things.
Thank YOU that YOU prophesied
about Jesus’ coming long before He came,
so that those who were looking
for YOUR promised Messiah
would know, without a doubt,
that Jesus is Emmanuel: God with us!
Thank YOU that YOU provided
Jesus to be the Savior of the world!
Thank YOU that YOU chose Mary
to serve YOU as YOUR humble handmaiden.
Thank YOU that YOU sent the angel Gabriel
to Mary and Joseph ahead of time
to prepare them for the work
YOU planned for them to do,
as they physically raised Jesus
in the everyday chores of parenting.
Thank YOU that Jesus understood
the sufferings and life of humanity.
Thank YOU that YOU are
good in all of YOUR ways.
Thank YOU that YOU are merciful,
YOU are just, and YOU are forgiving.
Thank YOU that YOU chose
for baby Jesus to be born
into a poor family who lived
in the town of Nazareth;
a town with a bad reputation.
Thank YOU that YOU chose
to have virgin Mary’s pregnancy
of baby Jesus
be a scandalous event
in the community of Nazareth
where the people who lived there
knew Mary and Joseph.
Thank YOU that YOU chose
for Mary and Joseph
to suffer persecution
through their obedience to YOU
by perhaps being shunned
or treated as pagans
when it appeared that Mary
was with child out of wedlock.
Thank YOU that YOU chose
for Mary and Joseph
to be separated from the comforts
of home and family
when YOU brought baby Jesus into the world.
Thank YOU that YOU chose
for Mary and Joseph
to be totally dependant upon YOU
for YOUR provisions and their safety.
Thank YOU that YOU knew
there would be no room with a bed
for Mary to give birth to baby Jesus
when they arrived in Bethlehem.
Thank YOU that YOU chose
to have baby Jesus born in a humble,
dirty stable or cave
where the smelly animals
like sheep and camels stayed.
Thank YOU that YOU chose
for Jesus’ very first bed
to be the animal’s feeding trough.
Thank YOU that YOU sent Jesus,
Who shared Heaven with YOU
and even YOUR own holy nature,
to come to earth as a man,
to live a perfect, holy life,
then to go to the cross
to be the perfect Lamb of God
Who takes away the sin of the world.
Thank YOU that YOU came to us YOURSELF!
Thank YOU that YOU care about us so much.
Thank YOU that we may know YOU.
Thank YOU that we may receive
YOUR forgiveness of our sin
and salvation for our souls
though Jesus’ sacrificial blood
shed on the cross for our sin.
Thank YOU for all
YOU’VE sacrificed to save us:
by sending Jesus,
YOUR only begotten Son,
to pay for our sin debt
to prove YOUR love for us
that we may be set free
from sin and death,
once for all.
Thank YOU that YOUR ways
are not like our human ways.
Thank YOU that YOU are good
in ALL of YOUR ways.
Thank YOU that YOU never change.
Thank YOU that YOU are holy.
Thank YOU that Jesus never sinned.
Thank YOU that Jesus
is the perfect expression of YOU.
Thank YOU for Jesus’ example
of obedience to YOUR will,
even when it was very hard for Him
to go to the cross
and take our punishment
upon Himself.
But because He loves YOU
and because He loves us,
He willingly chose to go.
Thank YOU that YOU call us to come to YOU.
Thank YOU that YOU live in our hearts by faith.
Thank YOU that YOU speak into our lives.
Thank YOU for the wonderful joy and
glory of knowing YOU.
Thank YOU that we can call you
‘Abba Father’ and YOU call us friends.
Thank YOU that YOU have made
provision for us
to come to YOU in prayer.
Thank YOU that YOU
call us YOUR inheritance.
Thank YOU that YOU
have provided a mansion
for us in Heaven with YOU.
Thank YOU for songs of worship and praise
that come from our truly humbled
and grateful hearts
that we may bless YOU continually.
Thank YOU for the wonderful ways
YOU bless us everyday.
Thank YOU for the best Gift ever given.
Thank YOU for Jesus!
Thank YOU for the wonderful hope
and secure peace YOU’VE given us in Christ
so that all who will receive Him by faith may
‘Have A True Merry CHRISTmas!’
In Jesus’ Holy Name we give YOU thanks.
Amen.
