Evening Prayer for Saturday, January 3, 2026

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Praying the Scriptures

Saturday Evening Prayer

January 3, 2026

“The LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to daughter Zion, 'See, your salvation comes; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.’” — Isaiah 62:11

O God of the vast and open sky,

As the evening shadows stretch across the Chihuahuan Desert and the last light fades from the peaks of the mountains, I pause on this tenth day of Christmas to find rest in Your presence. The air here in Deming turns crisp and cold as the night settles in, reminding me of the stillness that welcomed the Christ child, a quietude that speaks louder than the bustle of the world. In this high desert sanctuary, I look to the horizon, waiting not just for the stars to appear, but to acknowledge the renewed sense of Your glory that has dawned upon the world.

Your prophet Isaiah declared that You have proclaimed to the end of the earth—even to this quiet corner of the Southwest—that our salvation comes. I claim that promise tonight, knowing that the Savior is not a distant hope but a present reality, born into our midst to bridge the gap between heaven and earth. As I reflect on the proclamation to Daughter Zion, I feel the weight of Your "reward" and "recompense" described in the scriptures; it is the gift of Your own Son, who walks beside me through the scrub and the sand, bringing a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Let this message of salvation settle deep within my spirit as I prepare for sleep, guarding my heart against fear and doubt. May the assurance that Your reward is with You bring comfort to this house and to this community, keeping us secure through the darkness until the morning light breaks again over the jagged ridges. I rest my head tonight in the certainty of Your love, grateful that the Holy One of Israel has made His home with us.

Amen.

May the God of salvation, whose love reaches to the ends of the earth, grant us all a peaceful night and the deep assurance of His abiding presence.

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The Bible passages come from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible, copyrighted © 1989, 1993 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America and are used by permission. All rights reserved. Praying the Scriptures is penned daily by Kenny Sallee, ThM.