Merry Christmas, God

Every week, I ask my students to share prayer requests for a newsletter I send to their parents.  Today, I asked each child to share a special Christmas prayer.  Most came up with things like, "Please let us have a good Christmas" or "Please be with me this Christmas." or "Please let everybody have a good Christmas." and the ever popular plethora of requests: "Please help my dog/cat/hamster/cough/etc. this Christmas."  But one little girl had a different kind of prayer.  "Dear God, Be with my family this Christmas," she prayed, "and, Merry Christmas to you!  Amen."  At first I thought it cute...and a little naive.  This young lady wanted to wish God - the Maker and preserver of Life - the one who is the very meaning of Christmas itself, a Merry Christmas.  God is the merriest of us all, so he really doesn't need our best wishes.

But later, I got to thinking this little girl might understand more than I think.  Isn't that exactly what prayer is?  Prayer is how we talk to God.  And if we are talking to God, we may as well talk to him as if he were right in the room with us, because after all...he is.  And since he is here with us...isn't he close to us?  And if he is close to us, than why couldn't we wish him a "Merry Christmas"?  He is our friend and Christmas is His Birthday after all, isn't it!?  Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus, the Son of God...why not wish God a Merry Christmas?  Then I began to wonder what those people said a long time ago on that very first Christmas?


A long time ago...
Angels singing "Gloria...In the highest!"
...Merry Christmas!
Shepherds worshiping at the manger...
...Merry Christmas!
Simeon holding the baby at the gates of the temple...
...Merry Christmas!
Wise men from the far east bringing gold, frankincense, and myrrh...
...Merry Christmas!
Mary pondering all these things in her heart...
...Merry Christmas!


Just as then, today we...


Children singing his praises...
...Merry Christmas!
Families giving gifts...
...Merry Christmas!
Homes decorated in beautiful lights...
...Merry Christmas!
Friends near and far gathering together for worship...
...Merry Christmas!
Grade school children praying Christmas prayers...
...Merry Christmas!


Dear Void, if I may be so bold, it is my prayer this Christmas for you to be merry in the celebration of a child who is the Savior of the world.  It is my prayer that all may say, "Merry Christmas" to God in one way or another.