Loving Father, help us remember the birth of Jesus,
that we may share in the song of the angels,
the gladness of the shepherds,
and the worship of the wise men.
Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings,
and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.
May the Christmas morning make us happy to be your children,
and the Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts,
forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake.
Amen!
Credits
Robert Louis Stevenson was a Scottish author best known for adventure novels such as Treasure Island and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, but he was also a gifted poet and essayist. A Christmas Prayer reveals his deeply personal faith, reflecting the spiritual introspection that marked much of his writing in later life.
