Lord Jesus Christ, we implore You to hear our prayers and to lighten the darkness of our hearts by Your gracious visitation; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
He was the life of every party. In fact, you might better say he was the light of every party. Wherever he went, laughter followed him. There was just something irrepressibly joyful about him. I knew this fellow when I was much younger, in that rather gloomy phase of life we sometimes refer to as adolescence. I think God gave this friend to me because he knew my otherwise dour inclinations needed him.
Today we pray that the visitation of Jesus will lighten the darkness of our hearts. A glance about our world is enough make anyone somewhat depressed. I think this is especially true for the young people of today who express dismay at inheriting a planet poisoned by pollution and economies which do not seem to offer them pathways to success. I do not know if their assessment is valid or not. I just know that they are glum about it all, their hearts are darkened.
Jesus comes and He is the light of the world. One day the glory of His presence will outshine the sun. But right now, He lives in you. As Paul says, it is not I who live but Christ who lives in me. He has hidden Himself within His people, not to be unseen, but to be seen through us. He has taken up residence in your life to bring joy to others who struggle in a world darkened by sin and brokenness. As you pray this prayer today, think how the presence of Christ in you can bring joy to someone. Be the answer to their prayers.