Let All the Peoples Praise Him: Christmas Daybook 12
Thanks for inviting me to be such a regular visitor in your email inbox this season. I'm honored to be welcomed into your space and pray it brings peace.
Opening prayer: Heavenly Father, make me more like Jesus and more like the true self you’ve created as I savor your loving presence today. Please guide my thoughts and impressions by your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Look: The Dream of The Three Kings, Nicholas Mynheer - Source
Listen: Stars, Rain for Roots - Spotify | YouTube | Bandcamp w/ lyrics
Read: Psalm 29, 98; Isaiah 66: 18-23; Romans 15:7-13 (Eve of Epiphany)
Excerpts:
“Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name; worship the Lord in holy splendor…
The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king forever. May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!”
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“O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things. His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory. The Lord has made known his victory; he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations. He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.”
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“For I know their works and their thoughts, and I am coming to gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and shall see my glory, and I will set a sign among them. From them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Put, and Lud—which draw the bow—to Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands far away that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the nations. They shall bring all your kindred from all the nations as an offering to the Lord, on horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and on mules, and on dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, just as the Israelites bring a grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the Lord.”
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“Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,
“Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles, and sing praises to your name”; and again he says, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people”; and again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him”; and again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles shall hope.”
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
- Psalm 29:1-2, 10-11 * Psalm 98:1-3 * Isaiah 66:18-20 * Romans 15:7-13 (NRSV)
Pray: A benediction for the closing of Christmas
At the end of this Christmastide and at the beginning of this new calendar year, O Lord, bless us and keep us, along with those we love; make your face to shine upon us and be gracious to us, lift up your countenance upon us and give us peace; we ask this in your holy name. Amen.
Do: Savor one more day of Christmas!
Today's the perfect day to keep one more tradition, bake one more recipe, or make one last toast. We usually celebrate some kind of Twelfth Night festivity - if possible with friends. I try to use up the Christmas baking ingredients (the ones we don't usually use any other time of year) and make a half-batch or two of whatever we liked best this year. We simmer one more pot of mulled cider, burn down the Christmas candles, drink the last dregs of our Christmas wine, give a few more gifts (this is often when I give gifts to our neighbors!), play a game, or belt out a few more Christmas carols. (This is the perfect night to really dig into We Three Kings and Go Tell It On the Mountain!)
Following the light into Epiphany
What a joy it’s been to mark the weeks of Advent and Christmas together. I’m grateful for your companionship and encouragement along the way!
As we enter the season of Epiphany, may you continue to walk in the light as He is in the light. You can read a bit more about the liturgical history of Epiphanytide here. Essentially, we walk through the accounts of Christ’s life between his birth and before his Passion with emphasis on the moments that Christ was revealed (made manifest) as the Son of God. If the Incarnation is about God becoming man, Epiphany is about God’s marking this man Jesus as a divine Son, sent to reveal God to us. Get ready for some of the most beautiful, captivating accounts of Christ’s life, teaching, and healing in the coming six weeks. Celebrate that Christ came and moved into the neighborhood!
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Until next year, friends, let's join the incorrigible Dickens with this joyful pledge and God bless us, everyone!
* Listen to my entire playlist on Spotify: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen: Christmas 2021
** Sunday Scripture readings are taken from Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary. Daily Scripture readings are taken from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer and include both Morning and Evening Psalms (Year 2)