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And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told themLuke 2:20 (NIV)

Heavenly Father, it’s the day after Christmas, and many of us have over-munched and under-slept; but above all, we’re grateful for the gift of Jesus. Whether Christmas was like It’s a Wonderful Life, or Christmas with the Kranks, all of our Christmases need your grace.

For those of us for whom the day was “nearly perfect,” we worship you as the God from whom all blessings flow and good gifts come. For those of us for whom the day was a constant reminder of how much we long for the Day when wolves and lambs will lie down together in peace, we worship you as the God who has secured that Day through Jesus.

When the shepherds left Jesus’ manger, they were still shepherds. They still couldn’t worship at the temple; they still couldn’t give testimony in a court of law; and they were still “profiled” as untrustworthy members of the community. And a five-star inn didn’t open up the next morning in Bethlehem for Mary and Joseph, with angels serving as round-the-clock nurses.

Father, thank you, that as followers of Jesus, we don’t have to pretend about anything. Jesus came into a broken world for broken people, and we all qualify. You call us to believe, not to make-believe—to delight in you, not to deny reality. Should we remain “shepherds” the rest of our lives in this world, you promise to give us all the grace we’ll need for that calling. Just keep showing us more and more of Jesus, and it will be enough.

Over the next few days, keep us from getting in too big of a hurry to clean up the messes, put up the decorations, and figure out what we’re going to do for New Year’s Eve. Free us to enjoy one another, to listen to one another’s hearts, to linger in the presence of family, friends, and neighbors. Indeed, Father, free us for living and loving at the pace of grace. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ wonderful and merciful name.

 

 

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