Morning Prayer for Monday, January 5, 2026

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Praying the Scriptures

Monday Morning Prayer

January 5, 2026

“The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.” — Matthew 4:16

Lord of the Morning,

As the silhouette of the Florida Mountains begins to sharpen against the graying sky, I stand in the stillness of this high desert dawn. The air is cold and quiet, yet the world around me vibrates with the anticipation of the coming sun. In this fleeting moment between night and day, on this Twelfth Day of Christmas, I turn my face toward the East, watching for the light that transforms the rugged peaks and the vast valley floor. I am reminded that the physical rising of the sun is but a pale reflection of the true Light that has come into the world to dwell among us.

I confess that I have often lingered in the shadows, letting the worries of this life obscure my vision of Your glory. But just as the first rays now spill over the ridge, painting the scrub and sand in warmth, I ask that Your hope would dawn brightly within my soul. Dispel the gloom that clings to my heart and grant me the eyes to see Your salvation clearly. Let the reality of Your presence break upon me with the same inevitability as the morning, proving that for those dwelling in the land of deep shadow, a light has truly sprung up.

As the Christmas season reaches its fullness and transitions into the revelation of Epiphany, grant me the grace to carry this illumination into the hours ahead. May the peace of this desert morning settle deep within me, so that I might walk in the light of the living Christ, reflecting His love in word and deed. Let the day begin, O God, not just over the mountains, but within my spirit, as I step forward with the assurance that the darkness has passed and the true light now shines.

Amen.

May the light of Christ rise in our hearts this day, scattering every shadow and guiding us all into the ways of peace and love.

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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.