Prayer: "Christmas Shopping" by Wiederker

O God of words, dear Word made flesh,

Give birth to my thoughts,

Change them into words

That will help me to Christmas up the lives

Of those I love, for I am weak and fragile

Scared and empty this year

And still I feel you very near.

Jesus, I think I hear you coming.

I think I hear a sound that says

You’ve cared your way into my life again.

I think I see a light more lasting

Than the ones we hang on trees.

I think I see a world

That’s splashed with God again

So gospelled with his presence;

So covered with his love.

Yet, lonely still …

O shoppers, dear shoppers, put your carts away.

Please put your carts away

And search deep down within your hearts

For gifts that will not rust or fade.

For where your treasure is,

There is your heart.

O look into your God-splashed, gospelled hearts

And see! See Christmas standing there

Waiting to be, not bought,

But given free.

We are Christmas shoppers, Lord.

We are shopping for a way

To make your coming last.

O take the blind in us and hold it close.

O teach us how to see.

Decorate our lives with your vision.

For Christmas, let us see!

O shoppers, dear shoppers!

Hang lights in your hearts

Instead of on your trees.

For the One we’ve hung our hopes on

Has come, and now we’re free

But only if we see.

Jesus, we long for Christmas-eyes.

Please heal the blind in us.

For Christmas, eyes that see!