Zechariah’s Christmas Song: A Prayer of Enlightenment

And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,” -Luke 1:67-70

Father God, you visited Zechariah in a vision and promised him a son who would prepare the way for Christ. Zechariah at first doubted you, and you rendered him unable to speak. Once this promised son was born, you freed Zechariah to speak again, and he expressed his certain trust in you. As you enabled Zechariah to praise you for the salvation you would bring through Jesus, I ask you to open my own heart to trust you and your saving work. Open my eyes to believe and behold the realities of your salvation celebrated at Christmas.

“That we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.” -Luke 1:71-76

In coming to earth, God, you saved us from our enemies. You showed us your promised mercy. You fulfilled your holy covenant. This salvation comes with a calling: that we might serve you without fear, in holiness and righteousness all our days.

Liberate me from the fears and constraints that keep me from full-heartedly serving you. Equip me to live for you in holiness and righteousness. May my life reflect the transforming power of your salvation.

“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” -Luke 1:76-79

Father, as Zechariah pronounced, Christ’s coming to us was the sunrise visiting us from on high, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

As I remember your gift of Jesus to us this Christmas season, I ask you to bring light to the darkness in my life, the parts of my heart untouched by your sanctifying presence, that I might walk forward in the way of peace.

Amen.