An Evening Prayer as the Lamps Come On

Jesus, Light of the world,
the day is fading, and the lamps are coming on.

All down the street, windows are turning gold.
Behind each one, someone is making supper,
or coming home, or waiting for someone to come.
Bless every lit window tonight.

People have always lit lamps against the dark.
Oil lamps and candles,
a bare bulb on a string,
a small light left on in the hall for a child.
We can't make the night go away,
but we can push it back a little.

You came into the world like that.
A small light at first, laid in a manger.
The darkness has tried to put You out ever since,
and it has not overcome You.

Shine in this house tonight,
and in every house where someone is afraid of the dark.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

When to Pray This

Pray this at dusk, as you switch on the first lamp in the house. It is a gentle prayer to say at the window, looking out at your neighbors' lights.

A Verse to Hold On To

"The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." — John 1:5 (BSB)