This is a prayer for all of us who will invite others into our homes during the holiday season. We will prepare meals, answer the door when the bell rings, and scramble with extra responsibilities. And though we have generous hearts, we remember that we have finite hours.
This prayer is for the party planner.
Dear Father,
Today we celebrate. We celebrate your goodness and your grace. We celebrate your faithfulness to us. We celebrate your fresh-everyday mercies.
This is the season when all of the parties, gatherings, and family time collide with already jam-packed schedules. And for this time, we need an extra measure of your grace. We ask for grace upon grace; the kind of good-measure grace that is pressed down, shaken together and running over, grace that is poured into our lap.
Daddy, we ask that for that grace because we need You to save us from ourselves.
Save us from the need to host the perfect party with the perfect decorations and the perfect theme. Instead, may any stress we feel be released to You instead of manifested in shoulders, necks, and stomachs.
Save us from making this party about us and our hostess skills. Instead, may any desire to have all eyes on us be overwhelmed by our desire to glorify You.
Save us from the incorrect thought that everything about this party should go flawlessly. Instead, may there be flubs and mess-ups that teach us how to laugh at ourselves.
Keep us from speaking harsh words to our children, from the sarcastic tone with our spouse, and the exclamation yelled at the dog that dared get under foot. Instead, may our hearts be overflowing with gratitude and kindness so that our words would be the same.
Help us to stop comparing ourselves to others and their perceived perfection and all-togetherness. Instead, may we live out of a place of gracious hospitality.
Keep us from wearing ourselves out with assembling, decorating, baking, and cleaning. Instead, may we relax into You and know that in You all things hold together… even this party.
Stop us from accepting every invitation and feeling obligated to do all of the things. Instead, may we be selective in our “yes” and “no” answers. May we snuggle up on the couch, guilt-free, when that is the best place for us.
Please continue to bring the reason for our celebration back into focus. Daddy, we trust in your power to do these things because we know that our way doesn’t work.
May we bless, not covet.
May we laugh more than we fret.
May we live in the moment instead of through the camera lens.
And may we care more about those who enter our home than how our home looks.
Thank You for this season. Thank You for a reason to celebrate. Thank You for your goodness and grace. Thank You for Your faithfulness and your mercies.
We love You, Jesus.
Amen.