1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:15,440 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Thank you for listening to your Daily Prayer, 2 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:18,639 Speaker 1: a podcast dedicated to helping you find the words you 3 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:22,160 Speaker 1: need to connect with your Father in Heaven. No matter 4 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 1: what is going on in your life today, you can 5 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 1: trust that God wants to hear from you. Right after 6 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:30,640 Speaker 1: this short word from our sponsor, p will pray through 7 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:52,839 Speaker 1: today's morning prayer for Christmas Day Together. A Morning Prayer 8 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 1: for Christmas Day, written by Lynette Kittle, read by Carrie Y. Eichberger. 9 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 1: Every good and perfect gift is from above, having down 10 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 1: from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not 11 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:14,920 Speaker 1: change like shifting shadows James One, verse seventeen. Growing up, 12 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 1: our family opened our presence on Christmas Eve, as we 13 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 1: usually travel on Christmas Day to spend time with our grandparents. 14 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 1: My husband's family, on the other hand, opened their presence 15 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:30,119 Speaker 1: on Christmas Morning. So for our four daughters we opened 16 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 1: a few gifts on Christmas Eve and the rest on 17 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:36,920 Speaker 1: Christmas Morning. But oh how the anticipation of wading through 18 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:41,000 Speaker 1: the dark and often cold nights to open presents brings 19 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:44,640 Speaker 1: about the joy and excitement of waking up early to 20 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 1: a tree grazed by gifts. For me, it meant staying 21 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 1: up late into the night and loving preparation, wrapping, putting on, 22 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 1: finishing touches of ribbons and bows, and arranging them all 23 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:02,560 Speaker 1: under the tree in an inviting way. Every year involved 24 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: a quest to find beautiful boxes, bags, wrapping, paper, bows 25 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 1: and ribbons to try to make their packages look festive 26 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:14,399 Speaker 1: and beautiful to their eyes. It takes months of preparation 27 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:16,920 Speaker 1: on my part to find what I consider it to 28 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 1: be just the right pieces to put together as Christmas 29 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 1: Morning gifts. Although my Christmas Morning efforts are far from 30 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 1: ever being perfect in appearance, my goal was to come 31 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 1: as close as possible to making the gifts under the 32 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:37,520 Speaker 1: tree look beautiful, inviting, and festive God's perfect Christmas gift 33 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:40,920 Speaker 1: to us. So where does this desire to give the 34 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:45,359 Speaker 1: perfect gift come from? Some may answer the Hallmark channel 35 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 1: with their over the top holiday sets and designs while 36 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:52,520 Speaker 1: at decorating inspiration to many and as beautiful as I 37 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:56,120 Speaker 1: look on film. The truth is that this desire comes 38 00:02:56,120 --> 00:02:59,639 Speaker 1: from God, who is truly the only one who can 39 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:04,040 Speaker 1: present the perfect Christmas gift. Even in our most noble 40 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:08,360 Speaker 1: and grand attempts as humans, our gifts don't compare with 41 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:13,120 Speaker 1: the gifts he gives us. Jesus explains in Matthew seven eleven. 42 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:16,920 Speaker 1: If you, then, though you are evil, know how to 43 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 1: give good gifts to your children, how much more will 44 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 1: your Father in Heaven give good gifts to those who 45 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:27,919 Speaker 1: ask him. In the gift of Jesus, God gave us 46 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 1: the best and perfect gift we could ever receive. On 47 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 1: Christmas morning, the prophet Isaiah describes his perfection to us. 48 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 1: For to us a child is born, to us, a 49 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 1: son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders, 50 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 1: and he will be called wonderful counselor Mighty God, everlasting Father, 51 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 1: Prince of Peace. Give Jesus this Christmas morning. There is 52 00:03:57,040 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 1: no topping God's Christmas gift to us, no matter how 53 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:05,040 Speaker 1: hard some of us may try. As the apostle Paul writes, 54 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 1: thanks be to God for his indescribable gift. Because Jesus 55 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 1: is the perfect Christmas gift, is it? He's something we 56 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 1: want to give to others this year, along with our 57 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:22,680 Speaker 1: hand delivered and shift gifts. So this holiday, as we shop, make, prepare, 58 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 1: and send gifts, wouldn't it be wonderful to include with 59 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:31,120 Speaker 1: each one the opportunity to receive God's Christmas gift, either 60 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:35,359 Speaker 1: through the gift itself, a card, a Christian tract, or 61 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:39,360 Speaker 1: a personal written note describing the gift of Jesus as 62 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:43,200 Speaker 1: written in God's Word. For God so loved the world 63 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:46,480 Speaker 1: that he gave his one and only son, that whoever 64 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:50,719 Speaker 1: believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 65 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:56,720 Speaker 1: John three point sixteen. Let's pray, Dear Father, giver of 66 00:04:56,839 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 1: every good and perfect gift, we thank you for your son, 67 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 1: your perfect gift to us, Jesus given to us, and 68 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 1: the most irresistible package, a precious baby boy. Fill our 69 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:15,039 Speaker 1: hearts today with your joy and peace as we celebrate 70 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:19,360 Speaker 1: his birth on earth. Let heartfelt gratitude flow from our 71 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 1: lips for your most gracious gift of salvation and eternal 72 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 1: life through his death on the cross and resurrection from 73 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:31,039 Speaker 1: the grave. Lead us to share this good news with 74 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:34,520 Speaker 1: those we love and know who have not yet received 75 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:37,919 Speaker 1: your gracious gift. Help us to love them enough to 76 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 1: include the truth of your gift and the gifts we 77 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:45,599 Speaker 1: give to them, telling of your great love and sacrifice 78 00:05:45,640 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 1: on our behalf in Jesus' nay Amen. Your daily prayer 79 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:05,680 Speaker 1: is a production of life Audio and sale Media. For 80 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:11,279 Speaker 1: more faith filled inspirational podcasts, visit us at lifeaudio dot com. 81 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 1: While you're there, sign up for our daily email. When 82 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 1: you do, you'll receive a fifteen day prayer guide to 83 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 1: strengthen your faith.