An Advent prayer

It was my privilege this evening to give the closing prayer for the Bountiful Interfaith Christmas Service. The service was held in the lovely sanctuary of Bountiful Community Church. It program was well-chosen and beautifully performed. The last hymn, just before I offered the prayer, was the congregation singing of one of my favorite Christmas hymns: O Holy Night.

I had planned to use the collect for the Fourth Sunday of Advent as the closing prayer. But about two-thirds of the way through the service, a prayer began to form in my heart. It was this prayer I prayed to close the service:

Lord our God,
we thank you for gathering us together in the dark of a winter's night
around the light of our shared faith in your Son, Jesus Christ.
Bless us as we prepare to celebrate his Nativity.
Prepare our hearts that he might be born in them anew by the power of your Spirit.
And may his rebirth in us bear fruit for the coming of that kingdom where
he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen