Wall removal
Christmas Eve
Your sins are the roadblock
between you and your God.
That’s why he doesn’t answer
your prayers
or let you see his face. ~ Isaiah 59:2b (CEV)
(The angel of the Lord said to Joseph,) “Mary will give birth to a son, and you will call him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” ~ Matthew 1:21 (CEB)
Thank you, Lord, for sending your Son into the world to save us. I definitely need saving. Like everyone else, I've created a barrier between you and me. But Jesus tears that wall down. He makes things between us right again. And it is all of your doing. I am so grateful for Jesus. For me, this Christmas is all going to be about expressing gratitude. Amen.
TRANSLATIONS
ABP = Authorized Boydston Paraphrase — my own freestyle biblical adaptation — somewhere between paraphrase, commentary, and sermon
CEB = Common English Bible (©2011, the Common English Bible)
CEV = Contemporary English Version (©1995, American Bible Society)
MSG = The Message (©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson)
NIRV = New International Reader's Version (©1996, 1998, Biblica)
NIV = New International Version (©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica)
NLT = New Living Translation (©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, Tyndale House Foundation)
