Born Tonight (A Prayer for 2026)
A Prayer for 2026
Born Tonight (A Prayer for 2026)
[instrumental intro]
[Verse 1]
On this holy night of Christmas
In the glow of Bethlehem’s star
We remember Love came down to a broken world
And found us right where we are
Yet the shadows still are falling, Lord, You see it all
Violence rising, hunger calls
[Verse 2]
Streets are filled with anger, homes divided deep
Nations rage and children weep
Poverty and greed have built their cruel walls
While Your Church forgets its call
We have turned from one another, turned away from You
Forgive us, make us new
[Chorus]
Prince of Peace, born tonight
Shine Your light through the dark, through the fight
By the mercy of the manger, by the power of the cross
Heal the wounded, raise the lost
Come and bind our broken hearts as one
Let Your kingdom come in the new year
Amen, amen, let it be done
[Verse 3]
Holy Spirit, breathe again on weary souls
Teach us how to make things whole
Give us wisdom, give us courage, give us grace to start
To love with Your own heart
Turn our swords to plowshares, turn our fear to faith
For the glory of Your name
[Chorus]
Prince of Peace, born tonight
Shine Your light through the dark, through the fight
By the mercy of the manger, by the power of the cross
Heal the wounded, raise the lost
Come and bind our broken hearts as one
Let Your kingdom come in the new year
Amen, amen, let it be done
[instrumental solo]
[Bridge – half-time, a cappella choir first, then build]
Forgive us… heal us… change us…
Every tribe, every tongue, every nation
One in the Child who was born for our salvation
[Final Chorus – full choir + band, key change up if desired]
Prince of Peace, born tonight!
Let Your light overcome every fight
By the mercy of the manger, by the power of the cross
Feed the hungry, end the loss
We will walk as sisters, brothers, hand in hand
Till the kingdoms of this world become
The kingdom of the Lamb in 2026
Amen, amen, let it be done
Amen, amen, Your kingdom come
[instrumental outro]
Christmas Prayer 2025
Heavenly Father,
On this holy night of Christmas 2025, we gather in the gentle memory of the manger, where Your Son, the Prince of Peace, once lay wrapped in swaddling clothes. We come with hearts full of wonder at Your boundless love, yet also heavy with the weight of a world that still waits for the fullness of that love to break through.
Lord Jesus, You who were born into a time of occupation and fear, look upon Your world tonight. You see the violence that stains city streets and distant lands alike; You hear the cries of those caught in war and terror. You know the strife that tears families apart and sets neighbor against neighbor. You behold the empty tables where hunger gnaws, the desperate faces of those crushed by poverty, and the children who go to sleep without shelter or hope.
Forgive us, merciful God. Forgive us for the hatred we have nurtured, the indifference we have shown, and the greed that has widened the chasm between rich and poor. Forgive us when our politics have become idols, when our religious differences have become weapons instead of bridges, and when we have forgotten that every human being bears Your image. We have failed to love as You have loved us; we have hoarded the gifts meant for sharing; we have silenced the voices You told us to hear.
In Your boundless mercy, pardon us, heal us, and change us.
Holy Spirit, Comforter and Guide, descend anew upon us this Christmas. Grant us the forgiveness that makes all things new. Open our eyes to see Christ in the stranger, the refugee, the hungry, and the hurting. Give us wisdom to choose reconciliation over division, generosity over selfishness, and courage to work for justice where injustice reigns. Teach us to build bridges instead of walls, to speak truth in love, and to labor together for the common good.
As we step from this Christmas into a new year, unite Your Church across every boundary of nation, language, and tradition. Bind Your people together in one song of hope. Pour out Your peace—the peace that passes understanding—upon cities in turmoil, upon nations in conflict, and upon hearts filled with bitterness. Let 2026 be a year when swords are beaten into plowshares, when the hungry are fed, when the poor hear good news, and when Your children walk hand in hand toward the day when every tear is wiped away.
We ask all this in the name of the Child who was born to save us, Jesus Christ our Lord, who with You and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
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