Great and Sovereign God, your eye is steady toward the goal of the Day of Judgment, when all will appear before you and answer for what we have done in the body, whether good or bad. In this world, the claims to our attention pass in rapid succession. Let my eye not be drawn away from Jesus Christ and him crucified, nor my hand led away from the one purpose of preaching him. Amen.

Heavenly Father, the big talk in the U.S. today is Mel Gibson's film about my Lord's crucifixion. May you show through me what it means to die to self, to die with Christ, to live for him. Amen.

"and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised" (2 Corinthians 5:15).

Here is a good prayer of thanksgiving during your festive meals. It is said it was used by John Wesley and his preachers.

Be present at this table, Lord;
Be here and everywhere adored;
These creatures bless, and grant that we
May feast in Paradise with Thee.

Thanksgiving at meals for the early Christians was more than a formality, but represented their acknowledgement of "foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer" (1 Timothy 4.3-5, NASB).

Have a great Christmas!

Here's a short prayer of mine written 8 Oct 1995, found as I was cleaning out (i.e., throwing away) papers.

Lord, let me depend wholly upon you
to make the minutes meaningful,
to make the days productive,
to make the years fulfilling,
to make eternity an open door.