"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16
"And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior" - Luke 1:46-47
During the modern Christmas holiday, there are many worldly distractions from the original meaning and reason for celebration: the birth of Jesus Christ. The busyness and stress of the holiday season end up crowing out the very peace and joy that is offered to us through Jesus Christ. Taking a moment to pray, read Christmas Bible verses, and sing Christmas hymns whether with family or alone in quiet time, can help us refocus on the true meaning of Christmas. Prayer centers us and reminds us of the things that are truly important in life.
25 Christmas Prayers
Take some time to reconnect with God and give thanks for our salvation in Christ with these powerful Christmas prayers. These Christmas prayers, whether you traditionally say a prayer on Christmas Eve or while sitting around the Christmas Day meal, will inspire everyone present to give thanks and rejoice. Here we have gathered some of our favorite prayers for the Christmas season. May these words fill your mind, heart, and spirit with joy and gratitude!
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Short Prayer of Christmas Thanks
Thank you, God for sending Your Son on one glorious night to be born a virgin, to live a perfect life, and to die on the cross for my sins. Thank you that he rose from the dead three days later and that this Christmas and every Christmas we can celebrate the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Christmas Day Prayer
O Lord Jesus Christ, true God from true God, you became a little child for us so the world you made would be saved. Just as a child is born to us and a Son is given to us, may we be born again through you
and always remain in the number of God’s faithful children; through your merits, O blessed Savior, with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Source: Mozarabic Collects, ed. Rev. Chas. R. Halle, New York, 1881
Thank You For Loving Me
Lord, I thank You for loving me so much that You would leave Your realms of majestic glory to come dwell among men. If it had not been for Your great love that compelled You to come and redeem me, today I would still be lost in sin. Because You loved me so much, You were willing to come to this earth and purchase my salvation. You were born as a baby in Bethlehem, yet You always existed, and You came here with a definite plan to save me from an eternity separated from You. Thank You so much for coming, Lord. Thank You for loving me enough to temporarily shed Your glory and become a man so You could pay for my sin and save me to the uttermost! I pray this in Jesus' name, Amen! - Rick Renner
Christmas Hope
Father, I pray that you will turn our hearts toward you as Christmas approaches. Let us not get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season this year and miss the chance to celebrate the gifts of hope, peace, joy, love, that you sent to us on that first Christmas. That first Christmas, you gave us the gift of hope wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. Thank you, Father, for your immeasurable gift. In Jesus’ precious name, we pray. Amen. - Stephanie Raquel
A Short Prayer of Christmas Thanks
Thank you God for sending Your Son on one glorious night to be born from a virgin, to live a perfect life and to die on the cross for my sins. Thank you that he rose from the dead three days later and that this Christmas and every Christmas we can celebrate the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Amen.
A Prayer for Christmas Eve
O God, you were pleased to announce the coming of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, with choirs of angels who proclaimed with their song, “Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.” Grant that we may so pass our time here to your glory, that at your Son’s second coming we may rejoice before him. Amen.
Source: Freely modified from Mozarabic Collects, ed. Rev. Chas. R. Halle, New York, 1881, p. 11 #1
A Merry Christmas Prayer
Lord, we ask You to grant us peace. Peace in our homes, peace in our churches and peace in our hearts, especially when it feels like the world all around us spins out of control.
Help us stay focused on You, this Christmastime and always. Thank You for loving the whole world enough to send the greatest gift, Your Son, so we might truly have a very merry Christmas, even in a not-so-merry kind of world. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
New Birth and Freedom in Christ
Almighty God, grant that the new birth of your Son in the flesh redeems us from the old slavery under the yoke of sin, so we may receive him with joy as our Redeemer, and that when he comes to judge we may see Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.
Source: Wilehelm Loehe, Agende für christliche Gemeinden des lutherischen Bekenntnisses, 1844
For a Joy-Filled Christmas
Happy birthday, Jesus! I celebrate your birth and your life. Thank you for coming to earth as a baby, bringing life and hope to us all. I surrender to you. May each day be a celebration of Who you are in my life. In your name, I pray. Amen. - Mary Southerland
For Peace in the Midst of the Chaos of Christmas
Lord, I set my heart on You. You are trustworthy, faithful and the Giver of the gift of peace. Please fill me this Christmas season. As others see Your peace in me, let them recognize You as Savior. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. - Amy Carroll
Christmas Communion Prayer
O merciful God, open the depths of our souls that we may receive the immortality of our spirits through the new birth of your Son by the power of his body and precious blood; for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Source: Wilehelm Loehe, Agende für christliche Gemeinden des lutherischen Bekenntnisses, 1844
Christmas Prayer: Direct Our Ways
O almighty and eternal God, mercifully direct our ways that we may walk in your law and abound in good works; through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one true God, now and forever. Amen.
Source: Veit Dietrich, Source of this version: Freely modified from The Lutheran Hymnary, 1913, http://olcc.us/liturgical-resources/collects-veit-dietrich/ (Sunday after Christmas)
Prayer to Re-focus During the Holiday Season
Dear God, sometimes I get too caught in Christmas commercialism. OK, a lot of times. Today, I’m going to refocus my heart and remember why I’m celebrating this wonderful day in the first place. I’m celebrating Jesus today…and every day! In Jesus’ name, Amen. ~ Sharon Jaynes
The Wonder of Christmas
Father, it wasn’t with bad intentions initially that Christmas celebrations grew way beyond Who and have now made us weary. Renew in our hearts the wonder and awe of the miracles of the Gift of Christmas. Not only us, Lord, but let our new found wonder spread to our families and our friends. Let us come together to celebrate You and leave behind the fuss. In Jesus’ Name, Amen - Paris Renae
Christmas Prayer
Lord God, heavenly Father, we give thanks that in your great mercy and compassion you allowed your dear Son to become incarnate and through him redeemed us from sin and eternal death. Enlighten our hearts by your Holy Spirit that we may always be thankful for such grace and be comforted in all trouble and temptation, and at last, obtain eternal salvation; through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one true God, now and forever. Amen.
Source: Veit Dietrich
Prayer for Inward Peace and Goodwill
O Lord Jesus Christ, by your incarnation you united things earthly and heavenly. Fill us with the sweetness of inward peace and goodwill, that we may join the heavenly host in singing praises to your glory;
for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
Source: Gregorian Rite, 6th Century, Source of this version: Freely modified from Collects and Prayers for Use in Church, United Lutheran Church in America, 1935
Christmas Acclamation
Praise and adoration be to our God, for he is good. His grace and mercy fill the heavens and earth. Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving, and joyfully praise
our creator. As a father, he loves us, his children. Sing his praises with joyful thanks in love and devotion! Let us love him who has loved us since the world began. Who would not love God from the heart? We can not give him adequate praise. Still, in heaven he receives with goodwill our joyful songs of praise and pours much joy into our souls, whenever we thank him, whenever we live in him.
Sing to Jesus Christ praise, thanks and glory, for he came from heaven to destroy sin and death for us and by his precious, willing sacrifice, restored innocence and peace. Already here on earth he renews joy and life to us by his grace. Still greater bliss is prepared there for those who love him when one day they will be renewed in his image, made new and holy, and awakened from death. Let us rejoice in our holy God! Let us rejoice in our eternal God! How blessed it is to praise him here, and then in heaven. He is our holiness! He is our life! He always loves us, his children.
Source: Schleswig-Hosteinsche Kirchen-Agende, 1797, Am Feste der Geburt Jesu, p. 62-64, translated for A Collection of Prayers.
Prayer for the Love of Jesus
Ah! sweet Jesus, pierce the marrow of my soul with the healthful arrows of your love, that it may truly burn, and melt, and languish, with the desire for you alone; that it may desire to be dissolved and to be with you; let it hunger alone for the bread of life; let it thirst after you, the spring and fountain of eternal light, the stream of true pleasure; let it always desire you, seek you, and find you, and sweetly rest in you. Amen.
Source: Bonaventura, d. 1274, Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.
A Christmas Prayer to Include Jesus
Dear Lord, too many times I have excluded You from my Christmas and been satisfied with presents and stuff. Let me not be content until I experience the gift of You in my heart. Cause me to see You as the ultimate Gift. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Jesus our Master, Walk with Us
Jesus our Master, walk with us on the road as we yearn to reach the heavenly country so that following your light, we may stay on the way of righteousness, and never wander into the horrible darkness of this world’s night, while you, the way, the truth, and the life, are shining within us.
Source: Mozarabic, freely modified from Ancient Collects, ed. William Bright p. 87#3
Lord Jesus, Be Our Holy Guest
Lord Jesus, be our holy Guest, Our morning Joy, our evening Rest; And with our daily bread impart Your love and peace to every heart. Amen.
Source: Slightly modified from “Forms of Grace before Meat,” The Book of Common Worship, Henry Van Dyke, editor, Presbyterian Board of Publication and Sabbath-School Work, 1906, p. 167.
Move Us to Thanks for Jesus’ Suffering
Almighty Father, eternal God,for us you sent your Son and let him suffer the pain of the cross, that he might drive away from us all the terror of the evil foe. Move us to joyfully give thanks for his suffering
through which we have received forgiveness of sins and redemption from eternal death; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: Martin Luther [Die Gebete Luthers, #14]
To You, O Jesus
To you, O Jesus, I direct my eyes; to you my hands, to you my humble knees; to you my heart shall offer sacrifice; to you my thoughts, who my thoughts only see; to you myself–myself and all I give;
to you I die; to you I only live.
Source: Sir Walter Raleigh
Happy Birthday Jesus Prayer
Father, today I celebrate the reality of Your presence in my life. I celebrate Your birth, Your life, Your death, and Your resurrection. And as I celebrate, Lord, help me to be "God with skin on" to those in need around me. Open my eyes and let me see them as You see them! I love You. Happy birthday Jesus! In Jesus' name, Amen. ~ Mary Southerland, Girlfriends in God
A Prayer for Those Feeling Loss at Christmas
Dear Heavenly Father, though Christmas is sometimes hard because we miss the ones we love help me remember the gift You gave - Your Son, Jesus, a baby born to die. Thank You for this gift of love, help me receive it. In times of grief and sadness, remind me of the reason and fill me with Your Peace.
Mighty God, I ask You for the power to press on and Everlasting Father, I thank You for carrying me when it’s hard to walk.
Wonderful Counselor, I pray You’d fill my mind with wisdom and may the Prince of Peace rule my heart. This Christmas help me remember it’s not about the people I celebrate with, but the One we celebrate! In Jesus’ Name, Amen. - Jill Beran
The Present of Joy
Dear Lord, Thank You for Your gift of true love. Teach me how to unwrap the joy of Your presence at Christmastime and always. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Sources
Christmas - A Collection of Prayers ~ acollectionofprayers.com
12 Christmas Prayers - Experience Joy and Family Happiness This Holiday ~ crosswalk.com
Image Credit: Pexels
This article is part of Christianity.com's prayer answers including famous, topical prayers and information about the power of prayer. Find more related articles in the collection of prayers below:
The Serenity Prayer, The Lord's Prayer, Morning Prayers, Prayers for Healing, Thanksgiving Prayers, Advent Prayers, Christmas Prayers, Prayers for Peace, Prayers for Protection, Prayers for Strength, Praying in the Spirit.
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