God, we need your promises. In the short days of December, we are so aware of our own shortcomings, of the pressures we bear to honor your creation and each other, even when we disagree.
We so easily see in others the face of an enemy rather than a sibling in Christ. We are quick to judge and slow to forgive. We are afraid—of what we are becoming, of the change we cannot ignore, of the future for our own children and grandchildren.
Our world is troubled. You call us to welcome the stranger, to care for those excluded by the economic systems that may be sustaining us, to open our eyes to our place in the confusion, to not be afraid to speak, to risk, and to love.
Help us see the miracle of Emmanuel, you with us. Amen.
This message is an excerpt from “O come, O come, Emmanuel” by Catherine Malotky in the December 2019 issue of Gather magazine.
Do you enjoy these free Daily Grace messages? If so, donate now to further the ministry. Use the “where needed most” line. Subscribe to Gather magazine for full articles excerpted in Daily Grace.