And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. Luke 2:20 (NIV)
Heavenly Father, it’s the day after Christmas, and many of us are over-stuffed, under-slept, and quite-spent (in more than one way). But above all, we’re very grateful for the gift of Jesus. For our best Christmases, and our most difficult ones, all 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 are given. For those of us for whom the day ramped-up our longing for the Day of all things new, we thank you that Jesus has secured that very Day.
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 deny reality. Should we remain “shepherds” the rest of our lives in this world, you promise to give us all the grace we will need. Just keep showing us more and more of Jesus, and it will be enough.
Help us to live these next few days in gratitude and slower than usual. Keep us from getting in too big of a hurry to clean up the messes, put up decorations, and figure out what we’re going to do for New Year’s Eve. Free us to enjoy one another, listen to one another’s hearts; and linger in the presence of family and friends alike. Indeed, Father, teach us how to live and love at the pace of grace. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ wonderful and merciful name.
