Daily Prayers Thursday, 23 December 2021

A reading from Peter’s Second Letter

¹⁶ For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. ¹⁷ He received honour and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’ ¹⁸ We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

¹⁹ We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. ²⁰ Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. ²¹ For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 1: 16–21 NIV®

Dear God, we thank you that we have this first-hand eyewitness account from Peter of the Transfiguration and your confirmation of Jesus’s majesty, when they were together on the mountain. Peter himself is able to confirm that he did indeed hear your voice.

We thank you, too, that the scriptural prophecies have been handed down to us through the ages
and we are able to read and learn from them today.
We heed Peter’s reminder that the important truths embedded in these prophecies
do not come from the human prophets themselves,
whose role it is to pass on the message that they have received from you by your Holy Spirit.

Help us, too, to take on a prophetic role ourselves, speaking out against injustice, greed, selfishness and intolerance. Also, we pray that we may learn to listen to what people need to talk to us about.
May we recognise that your still, small voice comes to us from the most unexpected directions.
You know, what we often need to learn, that shouting does not get a message across.
Your voice is soft and gentle, even though the message is strong and powerful.

In these last few hours before we celebrate your great gift to us all, the birth of your only begotten Son, may we set aside time from the bustle of last-minute preparations, to listen for your quiet voice, reassuring us, and tasking us to share the good news of the birth, life, death and resurrection, of your dear Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Amen

Robin and Pat Kyd