PRAYERS FOR CHRISTMAS EVE

"Almighty God, heavenly Father, I thank You for Your unspeakable gift to mankind in the birth of the Christ Child at Bethlehem, as announced by the angels this holy night. May the mystery of the Word made flesh fill my soul with wonderment & yearning that like the shepherds I may hurry to worship at His manger bed. Change my heart from a busy inn that has no room for Your Son, that it may be a quiet chamber kept for Him.

"Help me in the spirit of true repentance to rejoice in my Savior's birth that in genuine faith I may join in the song of the angels, share the delight of the shepherds, & adore Him with the Wise Men. Grant that Christ may be born again to me this holy night that the truth, love, & redemption He brought may henceforth abide in my heart & life. Like Mary, may I keep all these things & ponder them in my heart always.

"And as You have made me a partaker of His glory here, grant that I may share His glory there. In Jesus' name I ask it. Amen."  My Prayer Book 

"O great & glorious Redeemer, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, we praise You, we bless You, we worship You, we glorify You, we give thanks to You for Your great glory. O Lord God, Lamb of God, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, King of kings & Lord of lords, Emmanuel, God with us! For You only are holy; You only are the Lord; You only, O Christ, with the Holy Spirit, are the most high in the glory of God the Father. But chiefly on this most holy of nights we adore You for leaving the glory that You had with the Father before the world began. We humbly ask You, by the holy mystery of Your incarnation & nativity, to deliver us, good Lord. You who came that we might have life & be saved from our sin, be gracious to us & save us. Let the glad tidings we commemorate this night be made known to all people. Amen." Lutheran Book of Prayer

A CHRISTMAS HYMN *

* Of the Father's Love Begotten," LW #36

"Of the Father's love begotten Ere the worlds began to be, He is Alpha & Omega, He the source, the ending He, Of the things that are, that have been, And that future years shall see Evermore & evermore.

"Christ, to You, with God the Father And the Spirit, there shall be Hymn & chant & high thanksgiving And the shout of jubilee:  Honor, glory & dominion And eternal victory Evermore & evermore!