My Christmas Prayer 2017

When the rhetoric is vile and spewing forth hate Fill my heart with love, my mouth kind words to relate When characters are threatened by accusations Keep my tongue from promoting the declarations When news blares of another sniper with a gun May my sheath, sword, and shield be your majestic Son When I encounter neighbors burdened and in need Grant me the blessing to give, not withhold in greed When humankind divides by status, creed, and race Help me pursue common ground, guide me by your grace When conflict and confusion never seem to cease Make me wise so that I might facilitate peace When a brother has no one on whom to depend Cause me to be silent, listen, and be a friend When loneliness and despair threaten to destroy Bring me hope, that encouragement I might employ When I see people broken by sins frustration Give me boldness to share knowledge of salvation When they grapple in darkness unguided by sight Let my life and voice become a beacon of light When people doubt Bible truth and implication Allow me patience for a gospel conversation When stilled in weariness from our earthly story Deliver heavens hope from the Lord of glory.