* I encourage you to read this, not as an article, but one on each of the 12 days of Christmas.
“Adornaments” started as something I did with my children when they were growing up. The “adornaments” reading and ornament were ways to help them/us focus on the true meaning of Christmas amidst all the presents and lights of the seasons. Thirty-plus years later, it is still a treasured part of our Christmas. The daily reading has evolved through the years - from the 12 days leading up to and including Christmas (Dec. 14-25) to the 12 days after Christmas (Dec. 26-Jan 6) - leading to the Epiphany [əˈpifənē] (The manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi (Matthew 2:1–12) and the celebration commemorating the Epiphany on January 6)
My hope is that by sharing these 12 adornaments - together, we can enter the new year with a fresh awareness of Jesus beyond the manger. Each day, focuses on a different name of Christ, leading us to understand - or perhaps just reminding us - who He is and why we should truly adore Him not just at Christmas but throughout the year.
On the 1st Day of Christmas
Name of Jesus: Immanuel
Ornament: Baby in a manger
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” - Matthew 1:23
On this first day of Christmas, I remember God, my One True Love, from the depth of His goodness, gave me a Savior - who is Jesus Christ the Lord! Born as a baby in a manger - God in the flesh - He came to save His people from their sins.
John 3:16 proclaims the reason for this gift: God loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life. Why such a lavish gift? Because God loves with an amazingly lavish love! He knew we were sinners, unable to keep the law, unable to save ourselves, and by His standards deserving of death. Yet, as with Barabbas, we were set FREE and Christ was sent to the cross - crucified for the sins of the world - making a way for sinners to have a relationship and everlasting life with God - the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. - 1 John 4:9-10
On the 2nd Day of Christmas
Name of Jesus: The Door
Ornament: Door
Yes, I am the door. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. - John 10:9
On this second day of Christmas, I remember not just the baby in the manger - but the “Door” that He opened for me to come to God.
He came to be a door or gateway to God. When we choose to believe in Him, we are given access to His safe pasture. We are invited into His Presence to live under the protection of the Great Shepherd. We feed on His Word, learn to know His voice, and live in obedience to Him. In His presence, there is peace and hope and strength, and there is love and life that is everlasting. Those who choose not to enter are sheep without a shepherd, living in darkness and jeopardy, without hope.
On the 3rd Day of Christmas
Name of Jesus: The Vine
Ornament: Cluster of Grapes
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. - John 15:5
On this third day of Christmas, I am reminded to celebrate Jesus, not just as an infant in the manger, but as The Vine who gives me LIFE. I know and have experienced that apart from Him, I can do nothing, but - by ‘abiding’ in Him - I will bear much fruit, be known as His “true Disciple,” and bring glory to the Father.
The fruit we bear is unique to those who abide in Jesus, The Vine, because it is a product of His Spirit in us. His Life-Giving Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – Galatians 5:22-23. Abiding in Him changes us from the inside out. We will look different, sound different, act different, respond differently, and think differently than the world. Abiding in Jesus, we will learn to live and grow to look more like Him – which is God’s ultimate goal for His children. The question is, “How do we stay connected to Him?” The answer is by faithfully spending time with Him in prayer and in His Word and living obediently to It. Abiding in Jesus may not always be easy – there will be hard choices and things we must give up in order to cling to the VINE, but God has given us everything we need to live a godly life. (2 Peter 1:3-4) Think of it this way – while John 15:5 teaches us that apart from Jesus, “we can do nothing,” Paul teaches us that through Jesus, “we can do all things,” Philippians 4:13.
The struggles we face in this life are only truly surmountable when we are abiding in – or sometimes clinging to – The Vine – God’s gift of LIFE.
3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the one who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of His glory and excellence, He has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share His divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. - 2 Peter 1:3-4
On the 4th Day of Christmas
Name of Jesus: The Giver of Living Water
Ornament: Water jug
Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” - John 4:10
On this fourth day of Christmas, I am reminded of Jesus’ words to the woman at the well – where He revealed Himself to her as the Giver of Living Water. The living water He was referring to was eternal life, a gift from the Father to to everyone who believes, a gift that was only available through Jesus. In John 7:38, Jesus says, “Anyone who believes in Me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.” He wasn’t concerned about her physical need for water but rather her spiritual need for a Savior. Do you know someone who needs the Living Water? Introduce them to Jesus, The miracle Baby in the manger, the Door to God, the Life-Giving Vine, and The Giver of Living Water. Read the story about Jesus and the Samaritan woman in John 4:1-42. The woman had come to draw water for physical needs, but Jesus introduced her to the Living Water and her life and the lives of countless others were changed forever.
On the 5th Day of Christmas
Name of Jesus: The Light of the World
Ornament: Candle
Then Jesus spoke again, “I am the light of the world! The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” - John 8:12
God is good, and in His goodness, He sent LIGHT to those walking in darkness. He extended His goodness to “All Men” and to those who have believed – He has given them the right to be called the sons and daughters of God. He has filled them with His Spirit – that others may see the LIGHT of Christ and want to know and follow Him. So, on this fifth Day of Christmas, I celebrate Christ, The LIGHT of the world! May His LIGHT be seen in me. May it light up the darkness and shine out for all to see that they might give praise to God in heaven.
“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. - Matthew 5:14-16
On the 6th Day of Christmas
Name of Jesus: The Bright Morning Star
Ornament: Star
“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” - Revelation 22:16
Today, on this sixth day of Christmas, I have unwrapped the “STAR,” an ornament that symbolizes God’s Gift of Jesus, The Bright Morning Star. He is God’s Son, my Savior – begotten of God – not created – God in the flesh – greater than any created being. He is more powerful than Satan or any ruler on earth – The Prince of Peace and the Giver of all true LIGHT. As the wise men followed the star to find the Baby Jesus, when I follow Christ, The Bright Morning Star, I will find the awe and “excitement, and the LIGHT of that perfect day when He will raise us up to live with Him in heaven to worship Him forever.” - Anonymous
On the 7th Day of Christmas
Name of Jesus: The Lion from the tribe of Judah
Ornament: Lion
But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.” - Revelation 5:5
On this seventh day of Christmas, I celebrate God’s goodness through Jesus – the Lion of Judah! Born into the world as a human – in a manger bed – yet with all the power to rule over every other created being. And – like the lion, powerful enough to kill – yet showing the most tender love for those who belong to Him. Jesus, the Lion of Judah, is able to protect me from all other predators and deliver me safely to the Father – who continues to carry out His will/plan before us. For just as God promised that Jesus would come through the royal tribe of Judah, He also promised that He will come again to take us home – and we look forward with HOPE to that day.
On the 8th Day of Christmas
Name of Jesus: The Lamb of God
Ornament: Lamb
The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” - John 1:29
On the eighth Day of Christmas, my ‘True Love’ gave to me … A Lamb to take away my sins. That’s right, in God’s goodness, He provided the Perfect Lamb, the Spotless Lamb – Jesus Christ. He did this so that my sins and those of the world might be forgiven. A lamb isn’t powerful like a lion, but this Lamb had all the power of heaven – for His blood was pure. He was the perfect and complete sacrifice – sent by the Father as a free gift of salvation to lost and dying people whom He loved.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life. - John 3:16
For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord. - Romans 6:23
On the 9th Day of Christmas
Name of Jesus: The Good Shepherd
Ornament: Shepherd Staff
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. - John 10:11
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. - Matthew 9:36
I love this picture that Scripture paints of our Savior. He saw me among the multitudes – and felt compassion for me – because I was distressed and downcast like a sheep without a shepherd. God, in His goodness, gave me Jesus, a Shepherd to care for me and who willingly laid His life down for His sheep. I am so thankful for His rod and staff; they truly comfort me. By them, I have known His protection, and when I have strayed, He has pulled me back to His path of righteousness. – I am forever totally dependent on God and ever grateful for His Gift of the Savior, my Good Shepherd.
On the 10th Day of Christmas
Name of Jesus: King of kings and Lord of lords
Ornament: Crown
which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords,
- 1 Timothy 6:15
Jesus may have come as a baby in a manger, but make no mistake - God gave us a King! The King of kings and Lord of lords best describes His power and majesty. He not only has the power to save but to rule over all the earth. God placed all nations and kingdoms under Him! So on the tenth Day of Christmas, I worship Him as my Savior but also my Lord and King. I praise the Father for sending us a gift that saved us from the Kingdom of darkness and its evil ruler! Satan has been crushed under the heel of my King and Savior, Jesus! Satan no longer has dominion over me for Jesus is my KING!
On the 11th Day of Christmas
Name of Jesus: Bread of Life
Ornament: Loaf of Bread
Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty,” - John 6:35
On this eleventh day of Christmas, I am reminded how God in His goodness provides not just for our physical needs but even greater – He has provided the Spiritual Bread of Life – Jesus Christ! He is the Manna from Heaven that feeds our souls and gives us life. The bread of God that comes down out of Heaven and gives life to the world. So today I celebrate this Eternal – Life-Giving – GIFT who has secured my Spiritual Health with His blood. “Regular food is only good until we become hungry again – but His Word truly satisfies our deepest needs.” It satisfies us like nothing else can when we crave peace or comfort, and It fills us up when our strength is gone. It enriches us when we need wisdom and direction, and It overflows with goodness when we need to be reminded of God’s love. God’s Word is alive and active, and It GIVES Light to our path – illuminating the darkness around us. May we be reminded of It often throughout the days of our lives, and may It flow through us so that others might taste and see Its goodness!
On the 12th Day of Christmas
Name of Jesus: Savior
Ornament: The Cross
The Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. - 1 John 4:14
When the day is over, just before I crawl into bed, I write in my prayer journal. I write in it of the mornings as well, but the day’s end is reserved for thank You prayers … Prayers that flow from reflection on the good and bad and mundane things of the day … Reflections that bring the realization of God’s presence, protection, correction, provision and most often - an awareness of His love. It’s easy to thank God for all the good things He’s done or ways that I’ve witnessed His goodness; the challenge comes in seeing His goodness in the bad and mundane things of the day – but even then – when my focus is on Him, thanksgiving flows free and pure.
Occasionally, however, these bedtime prayers are not from the reflections of the day but reflections of a passage of Scripture or a lesson learned … Tonight’s prayer was an overflow of the twelfth day of Christmas. On this final day, the symbol we focus on is the CROSS, and the name of Jesus is SAVIOR.
On the 12th day of Christmas my TRUE LOVE gave to me … A Savior who is Christ the Lord.
On this twelfth and final day of Christmas, may you be encouraged to thank God for His LOVE …
Father, Thank You for loving me even when I fail You. In love, you sent your only Begotten Son to be my Savior – the Savior of all who believe and confess that Jesus is your Son. Yours is a love that hung on a cross that I might know forgiveness and freedom. It is a love that sent Your Spirit to abide in me that I might abide in/with You. It is a love that redeems and pardons — and shows mercy and grace — a love that never leaves. It is a love that comforts and heals and encourages and hears my prayers whether they are whispered from my bed, spoken in a car, thought in my mind or journaled here on these pages. Thank you for Your love, Father — I love You too!
“Adornaments” started as something I did with my children when they were growing up. The “adornaments” reading and ornament were ways to help them/us focus on the true meaning of Christmas amidst all the presents and lights of the seasons. Thirty-plus years later, it is still a treasured part of our Christmas. The daily reading has evolved through the years - from the 12 days leading up to and including Christmas (Dec. 14-25) to the 12 days after Christmas (Dec. 26-Jan 6) - leading to the Epiphany [əˈpifənē] (The manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi (Matthew 2:1–12) and the celebration commemorating the Epiphany on January 6)
My hope is that by sharing these 12 adornaments - together, we can enter the new year with a fresh awareness of Jesus beyond the manger. Each day, focuses on a different name of Christ, leading us to understand - or perhaps just reminding us - who He is and why we should truly adore Him not just at Christmas but throughout the year.
On the 1st Day of Christmas
Name of Jesus: Immanuel
Ornament: Baby in a manger
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” - Matthew 1:23
On this first day of Christmas, I remember God, my One True Love, from the depth of His goodness, gave me a Savior - who is Jesus Christ the Lord! Born as a baby in a manger - God in the flesh - He came to save His people from their sins.
John 3:16 proclaims the reason for this gift: God loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life. Why such a lavish gift? Because God loves with an amazingly lavish love! He knew we were sinners, unable to keep the law, unable to save ourselves, and by His standards deserving of death. Yet, as with Barabbas, we were set FREE and Christ was sent to the cross - crucified for the sins of the world - making a way for sinners to have a relationship and everlasting life with God - the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. - 1 John 4:9-10
On the 2nd Day of Christmas
Name of Jesus: The Door
Ornament: Door
Yes, I am the door. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. - John 10:9
On this second day of Christmas, I remember not just the baby in the manger - but the “Door” that He opened for me to come to God.
He came to be a door or gateway to God. When we choose to believe in Him, we are given access to His safe pasture. We are invited into His Presence to live under the protection of the Great Shepherd. We feed on His Word, learn to know His voice, and live in obedience to Him. In His presence, there is peace and hope and strength, and there is love and life that is everlasting. Those who choose not to enter are sheep without a shepherd, living in darkness and jeopardy, without hope.
On the 3rd Day of Christmas
Name of Jesus: The Vine
Ornament: Cluster of Grapes
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. - John 15:5
On this third day of Christmas, I am reminded to celebrate Jesus, not just as an infant in the manger, but as The Vine who gives me LIFE. I know and have experienced that apart from Him, I can do nothing, but - by ‘abiding’ in Him - I will bear much fruit, be known as His “true Disciple,” and bring glory to the Father.
The fruit we bear is unique to those who abide in Jesus, The Vine, because it is a product of His Spirit in us. His Life-Giving Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – Galatians 5:22-23. Abiding in Him changes us from the inside out. We will look different, sound different, act different, respond differently, and think differently than the world. Abiding in Jesus, we will learn to live and grow to look more like Him – which is God’s ultimate goal for His children. The question is, “How do we stay connected to Him?” The answer is by faithfully spending time with Him in prayer and in His Word and living obediently to It. Abiding in Jesus may not always be easy – there will be hard choices and things we must give up in order to cling to the VINE, but God has given us everything we need to live a godly life. (2 Peter 1:3-4) Think of it this way – while John 15:5 teaches us that apart from Jesus, “we can do nothing,” Paul teaches us that through Jesus, “we can do all things,” Philippians 4:13.
The struggles we face in this life are only truly surmountable when we are abiding in – or sometimes clinging to – The Vine – God’s gift of LIFE.
3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the one who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of His glory and excellence, He has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share His divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. - 2 Peter 1:3-4
On the 4th Day of Christmas
Name of Jesus: The Giver of Living Water
Ornament: Water jug
Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” - John 4:10
On this fourth day of Christmas, I am reminded of Jesus’ words to the woman at the well – where He revealed Himself to her as the Giver of Living Water. The living water He was referring to was eternal life, a gift from the Father to to everyone who believes, a gift that was only available through Jesus. In John 7:38, Jesus says, “Anyone who believes in Me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.” He wasn’t concerned about her physical need for water but rather her spiritual need for a Savior. Do you know someone who needs the Living Water? Introduce them to Jesus, The miracle Baby in the manger, the Door to God, the Life-Giving Vine, and The Giver of Living Water. Read the story about Jesus and the Samaritan woman in John 4:1-42. The woman had come to draw water for physical needs, but Jesus introduced her to the Living Water and her life and the lives of countless others were changed forever.
On the 5th Day of Christmas
Name of Jesus: The Light of the World
Ornament: Candle
Then Jesus spoke again, “I am the light of the world! The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” - John 8:12
God is good, and in His goodness, He sent LIGHT to those walking in darkness. He extended His goodness to “All Men” and to those who have believed – He has given them the right to be called the sons and daughters of God. He has filled them with His Spirit – that others may see the LIGHT of Christ and want to know and follow Him. So, on this fifth Day of Christmas, I celebrate Christ, The LIGHT of the world! May His LIGHT be seen in me. May it light up the darkness and shine out for all to see that they might give praise to God in heaven.
“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. - Matthew 5:14-16
On the 6th Day of Christmas
Name of Jesus: The Bright Morning Star
Ornament: Star
“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” - Revelation 22:16
Today, on this sixth day of Christmas, I have unwrapped the “STAR,” an ornament that symbolizes God’s Gift of Jesus, The Bright Morning Star. He is God’s Son, my Savior – begotten of God – not created – God in the flesh – greater than any created being. He is more powerful than Satan or any ruler on earth – The Prince of Peace and the Giver of all true LIGHT. As the wise men followed the star to find the Baby Jesus, when I follow Christ, The Bright Morning Star, I will find the awe and “excitement, and the LIGHT of that perfect day when He will raise us up to live with Him in heaven to worship Him forever.” - Anonymous
On the 7th Day of Christmas
Name of Jesus: The Lion from the tribe of Judah
Ornament: Lion
But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.” - Revelation 5:5
On this seventh day of Christmas, I celebrate God’s goodness through Jesus – the Lion of Judah! Born into the world as a human – in a manger bed – yet with all the power to rule over every other created being. And – like the lion, powerful enough to kill – yet showing the most tender love for those who belong to Him. Jesus, the Lion of Judah, is able to protect me from all other predators and deliver me safely to the Father – who continues to carry out His will/plan before us. For just as God promised that Jesus would come through the royal tribe of Judah, He also promised that He will come again to take us home – and we look forward with HOPE to that day.
On the 8th Day of Christmas
Name of Jesus: The Lamb of God
Ornament: Lamb
The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” - John 1:29
On the eighth Day of Christmas, my ‘True Love’ gave to me … A Lamb to take away my sins. That’s right, in God’s goodness, He provided the Perfect Lamb, the Spotless Lamb – Jesus Christ. He did this so that my sins and those of the world might be forgiven. A lamb isn’t powerful like a lion, but this Lamb had all the power of heaven – for His blood was pure. He was the perfect and complete sacrifice – sent by the Father as a free gift of salvation to lost and dying people whom He loved.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life. - John 3:16
For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord. - Romans 6:23
On the 9th Day of Christmas
Name of Jesus: The Good Shepherd
Ornament: Shepherd Staff
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. - John 10:11
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. - Matthew 9:36
I love this picture that Scripture paints of our Savior. He saw me among the multitudes – and felt compassion for me – because I was distressed and downcast like a sheep without a shepherd. God, in His goodness, gave me Jesus, a Shepherd to care for me and who willingly laid His life down for His sheep. I am so thankful for His rod and staff; they truly comfort me. By them, I have known His protection, and when I have strayed, He has pulled me back to His path of righteousness. – I am forever totally dependent on God and ever grateful for His Gift of the Savior, my Good Shepherd.
On the 10th Day of Christmas
Name of Jesus: King of kings and Lord of lords
Ornament: Crown
which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords,
- 1 Timothy 6:15
Jesus may have come as a baby in a manger, but make no mistake - God gave us a King! The King of kings and Lord of lords best describes His power and majesty. He not only has the power to save but to rule over all the earth. God placed all nations and kingdoms under Him! So on the tenth Day of Christmas, I worship Him as my Savior but also my Lord and King. I praise the Father for sending us a gift that saved us from the Kingdom of darkness and its evil ruler! Satan has been crushed under the heel of my King and Savior, Jesus! Satan no longer has dominion over me for Jesus is my KING!
On the 11th Day of Christmas
Name of Jesus: Bread of Life
Ornament: Loaf of Bread
Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty,” - John 6:35
On this eleventh day of Christmas, I am reminded how God in His goodness provides not just for our physical needs but even greater – He has provided the Spiritual Bread of Life – Jesus Christ! He is the Manna from Heaven that feeds our souls and gives us life. The bread of God that comes down out of Heaven and gives life to the world. So today I celebrate this Eternal – Life-Giving – GIFT who has secured my Spiritual Health with His blood. “Regular food is only good until we become hungry again – but His Word truly satisfies our deepest needs.” It satisfies us like nothing else can when we crave peace or comfort, and It fills us up when our strength is gone. It enriches us when we need wisdom and direction, and It overflows with goodness when we need to be reminded of God’s love. God’s Word is alive and active, and It GIVES Light to our path – illuminating the darkness around us. May we be reminded of It often throughout the days of our lives, and may It flow through us so that others might taste and see Its goodness!
On the 12th Day of Christmas
Name of Jesus: Savior
Ornament: The Cross
The Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. - 1 John 4:14
When the day is over, just before I crawl into bed, I write in my prayer journal. I write in it of the mornings as well, but the day’s end is reserved for thank You prayers … Prayers that flow from reflection on the good and bad and mundane things of the day … Reflections that bring the realization of God’s presence, protection, correction, provision and most often - an awareness of His love. It’s easy to thank God for all the good things He’s done or ways that I’ve witnessed His goodness; the challenge comes in seeing His goodness in the bad and mundane things of the day – but even then – when my focus is on Him, thanksgiving flows free and pure.
Occasionally, however, these bedtime prayers are not from the reflections of the day but reflections of a passage of Scripture or a lesson learned … Tonight’s prayer was an overflow of the twelfth day of Christmas. On this final day, the symbol we focus on is the CROSS, and the name of Jesus is SAVIOR.
On the 12th day of Christmas my TRUE LOVE gave to me … A Savior who is Christ the Lord.
On this twelfth and final day of Christmas, may you be encouraged to thank God for His LOVE …
Father, Thank You for loving me even when I fail You. In love, you sent your only Begotten Son to be my Savior – the Savior of all who believe and confess that Jesus is your Son. Yours is a love that hung on a cross that I might know forgiveness and freedom. It is a love that sent Your Spirit to abide in me that I might abide in/with You. It is a love that redeems and pardons — and shows mercy and grace — a love that never leaves. It is a love that comforts and heals and encourages and hears my prayers whether they are whispered from my bed, spoken in a car, thought in my mind or journaled here on these pages. Thank you for Your love, Father — I love You too!
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