A Prayer of Gratitude for the Gift of Jesus
By Kristine Brown
Bible Reading
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” - John 3:16 NIV
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I’ve never been much of a holiday decorator. Working full time and taking care of a family kept me so busy through the years that putting up Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations moved down on my priorities list. However, I always found time to put the lighted artificial tree in the corner. Something about the warm glow in the evenings or the way the handmade angel looked down from her place atop the tree brought a feeling of peace to our otherwise hectic lives.
One year, circumstances had been so chaotic leading up to the holidays that I didn’t want to put the tree away. Thanksgiving came and went, then Christmas. But I couldn’t bring myself to take the tree down. Instead, I woke up early each morning, turned on the lighted tree, grabbed a cup of coffee with my Bible, and spent time thinking about Jesus. Sometimes, our hearts need a reminder to slow down and rest in the presence of the greatest gift ever given—the gift of Jesus. I suppose that’s what prompted me to keep the tree in place that year. My longing heart needed something to cut through the busyness and make space for the peace, hope, and joy only Jesus brings. Sure, the world offers us its own version of these things, but I’ve found lasting relief when I trust in what Jesus offers.
John 3:16 tells us about this great gift, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
In the past, I’ve looked forward to November, marking that month on my calendar as a time to give thanks. Then, after the turkey leftovers are thrown out and the calendar page turns to December, my focus shifts to the next busy holiday. I move from one tradition to the next, never pausing long enough to embrace gratitude for the best gift I’ve ever received. God gave us the ultimate gift the day he let Jesus come to earth to exist among us. Our loving Father kept silent when Jesus suffered a horrific death on the cross because he knew it was the only way. Jesus was the only Way.
The season I decided to leave the tree standing in the corner of my living room, a remarkable change happened in my heart. I found renewed gratitude for the gift of Jesus. January soon ended, then February, and on and on until November arrived again. I removed our family’s ornaments and replaced them (temporarily) with a garland of yellow, orange, and brown, with letters that spelled out the words, “Give thanks.” That was the year I rediscovered thankfulness for the most glorious gift ever. Whatever our preferred traditions, we can all find peace, hope, and joy to carry us through Thanksgiving, Christmas and even the next year. Jesus is the gift that lasts a lifetime.
Let’s Pray:
Dear God,
Thank you for the gift of your son, Jesus. Because of him, we have the hope of eternal life. We also have peace and joy that surpasses anything this world can give. I pray this year, as we celebrate the season that we will remember this incredible gift. Sometimes life gets so busy that we let the holidays pass by without resting in Jesus’ presence. But this season offers the perfect opportunity to reset our hearts. We are grateful for Jesus, and we want to prioritize time with him. Help us find ways to recenter our lives and families around the love of Jesus. Help us see the beauty of Jesus as the greatest gift of all, and inspire our hearts to carry gratitude for this gift into the next year and beyond.
In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.
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