Writing Christmas cards is something I enjoy doing though sometimes, when I am running late to get them finished, they can be a bit on the stressful side…

I enjoy getting them through the door though, especially if there is a wee note inside from a friend I’ve not seen in a while.

If I had time to write a note inside my cards this year what would it say? Something about moving, about work, about family perhaps…

But imagine with me that you were to write a Christmas card to God… that you took time to write a note inside… what would you write? He knows how your year has been, all you’ve been up to and what your “news” is… so what would be on your heart to say to him this Christmas?

I decided to have a try…

Here’s how my notes to each of the God head began… 

Dear Heavenly Father

As Christmas approaches, there is so much to thank you for this year… (many things come to mind) … but amidst all the stuff, and the speed at which the year has flown by, the challenges and the joys of the year, thank you that I can know an incredible peace that you are in control of it all… thankyou that every day of my life this year was known by you.. and that you were in all the ups and downs working your purposes out. When I think about how you planned the first Christmas before the world was even created I feel somehow safer. The ups and downs of my life are small in comparison to your greatness. Yet you know and care about all of my needs. Thankyou for your great provision… … and especially that my greatest need has already been met in Christ and no one or nothing can take that away. Thank you for being my Father and for the incredible gift you gave in sending your son to be my Saviour….

Dear Lord Jesus

This is the time of year we think of you as a baby… come to earth as a human being… leaving all the privilege and position of sitting at the throne of heaven so that you could become like us. Human. As I struggled this year with temptations, and sin, you were there, at the right hand side of our Father, rooting for me to resist and to walk in obedience, knowing too well the struggle and showing me I needn’t give in. And when I did mess up, you were there graciously reminding me that you had died for that sin also. Thank you for being my Saviour. Thank you for your constant love for me. Thank you that you understand…

Dear Holy Spirit

How could I manage without you? Thankyou for the times you have prodded and prompted me to open the word, or brought scripture to mind when I needed encouragement, or helped me think of the words I needed to speak truth to someone. Thank you for your constant companionship, your enabling, your counsel. Thank you that whatever the year ahead holds I am not alone and I can be confident that you will help me.

Writing our notes – or our prayers - is one way we can slow down and think about what we most want to say to God… Can I encourage you to take some time over the Christmas period, reflecting on the year drawing to a close, and express your own heart to God.

And can I encourage you to reflect on some of the written prayers in the bible as you pray for the year ahead… believe it or not there are over 600 prayers in the bible… check out this list:

As 2017 approaches, my prayer for you would echo that of Paul for the Ephesians:

“For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” Eph 1:15-23