Importance Of Prayer In Christmas

The weeks leading up to Christmas create for many of us a season of anticipation. Anticipation, by its very nature, is an exercise in hope and waiting. There would be no need for anticipation if our hopes were immediately fulfilled. Most of us would probably prefer it if life worked this way, but experience tells us tells us it does not. The reality is, we often find ourselves having to hold on to hope and while we wait. Sometimes, the waiting can be counted in months, as with Mary as she waited for the birth of her son, Jesus. At other times, waiting can be counted in decades, as with Zechariah and Elizabeth as they waited on God to answer their prayers for an heir, and there have been times when waiting is measured in centuries, as with …show more content…
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
- Psalm27:13-14

Exploration - Take the balance of the hour to consider with God in prayer the following prompts. Do not rush. Allow the space necessary to listen for the still small voice of God. Do not feel like you have to complete every prompt. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you to the places He would desire to explore with you. Talk to him about what you discover as you follow him into these places.
• What is it that you hope for?
• Where have you been invited to wait and trust?
• Have you felt that your cause or circumstance has been disregarded by the Lord?
• How has this experience affected your capacity to hold on to hope and trust the Lord?
• Where have you grown tired or weary?
• The passage from Isaiah speaks of the Lord’s endurance and His capacity to strengthen those who trust him. What would you need from Him to renew your strength and ability to actively wait in this season?
• Take a moment to reflect on your experience of Him and His provision in this season. Are there any ways you are able to notice where He has already been at work in the