A Prayer to have a Servant’s Heart this Christmas
By Chelsey DeMatteis
Bible Reading:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16
Listen or Read Below:
My husband and I watched The Case for Christ a few years ago. Lee Strobel set out to debunk Christianity, but God had other plans – He met Lee in undeniable ways. One scene that stood out most was the conversation between Strobel and his boss as he began this journey. He shared how he was “willing” to give it a shot to debunk the faith millions had staked their life upon. I had goosebumps all over my body as tears welled up in my eyes. I looked at my husband and said, ‘All God asks for is a willing heart and while this man was set out on the opposite adventure, God was going to meet him in that willingness.’ A willing heart sets forth a fire to see and experience Jesus, and as we know, God will use any willingness directed toward Him to grab a child of God’s attention. He will use His people and all His creation to draw us nearer to Himself.
Nicodemus’ story reminds me all the more as to how we can prepare ourselves to be servants. Servants who are willing and available to share the gospel. He had a willing heart when he sought Jesus with more questions about the things he didn’t understand. Jesus served him with the truth from the Father and through the physical act of meeting with him. How amazing is it that through Nicodemus’s desire to better understand God came one of the most incredible stories of Jesus’ servant-ship to people who wanted to know who He was and why God sent Him?
Jesus told him, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the word to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” – John 3:16-17
The heart of God and his love for serving those who seek to know Him more deeply is an incredible thing. He gives us a season where we can share about Him more than usual. During this Christmas season, we have the opportunity to share about His heart and attributes. So, as we walk into this Advent season, remember that God is always willing to meet those who desire to know Him. Today, as you spend time with the Lord, ask Him, “God, how can I be more willing in my walk with you, and who can I share my testimony with this week?”
Let’s Pray:
Lord, help me to have a willing heart. I pray for a spiritual awakening in areas of my life that I haven’t fully handed over to you. Remove any unbelief that is keeping me from going deeper. Remind me that when I feel weary, all you ask for is my willingness to trust you.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/SDI Productions
Chelsey is the voice behind the Living with Less Podcast and author of the 52-week devotional More of Him, Less of Me: Living a Christ-centered Life in a Me-centered World. She writes devotions for Lifeway Women’s Journey Magazine, Crosswalk.com, and iBelieve.com. She also writes Bible reading plans for the YouVersion Bible App. Chelsey lives in Ohio with her husband and two children. You can connect with her on Instagram @chelseydematteis and at her website ChelseyDeMatteis.com.
Editor’s Note: We’re proud to announce we’ve just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You’ll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it’s a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.
Related Resource: Jesus Calling – Stories of Faith
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Inspired by Sarah Young’s classic devotional book, the Jesus Calling podcast has brought encouragement and peace to millions. New episodes drop every Thursday! Listen today on LifeAudio.com or wherever you find your podcasts.
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