While preparing material for children’s programming, I made a fascinating observation about the Christmas story presented in Luke’s Gospel.

There are no walls.

Luke shares angels, shepherds, parents, and child, but no buildings, doors, fences, or walls.

Mary lays her baby in a manger, but we’re not told if the manger is in a stable or a stall, a corral or a
cave. The shepherds are in the field and appear to run unimpeded to Jesus.

Doesn’t that seem wonderfully intentional? There’s nothing blocking people who are trying to find Jesus. There’s nothing making it difficult to find him. He’s immediately available and accessible.

Let’s pray for a Christmas with no walls.

Let’s pray for a Christmas where people who need Jesus can find him with little difficulty.

On December 4, as the sun sets around 4:54 pm, from wherever you are, with whomever wishes to join you, let’s pray together as a church family. Let’s pray for walls to come down on Christmas in ways that make the love of Jesus, the good news of great joy, accessible to all people.

Let’s pray for those who have been disappointed, disillusioned, and distanced.

Let’s pray for those who are alone or afraid.

Let’s pray for those who are hungry or homeless, for those who are grieving, for those who are wrestling with addiction.

Let’s pray for those who are deployed.

Let’s pray for those who are suffering: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Let’s pray for those who feel trapped behind all the walls of prejudice that divide us.

Let’s pray that the walls fall, and we can all find Jesus in the Christmas season.

And let’s remember Luke 2, verses 17 and 18 (NIV): “When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about the child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.”

After the shepherds visited the manger, there is again no mention of walls or fences or doors. Nothing prevents them from sharing their hope and joy and peace. Let’s pray into the truth that there is nothing preventing us from sharing our hope and joy and peace.

Let’s pray for a Christmas with no walls.