Advent Prayer

God You invite us to Bethlehem
To see with new eyes
The love that awaits us then and now.

You call us to be still and listen-stories of lost friendships, pain, growing older, becoming.
Remind us that we are family
That for one another we can be love and trial, strength and trouble.
Teach us to pray for one another.

Seeking the peace of the season, we turn to you.
Teach us the way to you.
How difficult it is to walk a straight path, often we miss Your presence with us.
Help our unbelief, heal our hopelessness.

Through Your coming to us in Advent
May we love our enemies as we do our friends,
Renounce our need to be right,
Take bitterness, hatred and curses and give gifts of graciousness, love, blessing and forgiveness.

In the light of hope we recognize who we truly are,
Our giftedness, and know that we are loved.
And in this light, we see Light:
Jesus, whose light of love brings justice, hope and peace.
In the beauty of the lights of the season shared with one another,
Help us to be your light of hope to our world. Amen.