This past Sunday marked the beginning of Advent. You may have found that the word “advent” has become quite trendy as more and more “advent” calendars pop up all over the place used to countdown the days til Christmas. It’s derived from the latin word “adventus” which means “coming”–someone wonderful is coming!
It is a time of expectation, wonder, hope!
As believers of the Gospel, we know our Savior has already come and rescued us from darkness but He will come again and take us to our forever home. So this season reminds us to stay awake with open hands and hearts and make room for our Savior.
It reminds us that we’ve been invited. Invited to come and see what the Lord has done.
Many of us know all too well what it’s like for December to blur by—what it’s like to arrive on the doorstep of Christmas as another exhausted casualty of our consumeristic age. Reacting. Organizing. Shopping. Planning. Wrapping. Budgeting. Stressing. Eating. Stress-eating.So I am writing to those who, like me, need to slow down and embrace the oft-missed words of the famous carol, “Let every heart prepare him room.” ~Adam Ramsey
So what I am proposing is for us to take a few minutes each morning for the next 12 days to rekindle and awaken our love for who Christ is and what He’s done for us.
If you’re like me and have grown up in a Christian home you probably can tell me the various Bible stories with your eyes closed. But sometimes that familiarity makes us lose the wonder of His wondrous work. Do you want calm and peace?
Join me by leaning into His word and discovering once again who He is. We will learn more about that particular name or attribute. Then we will spend some time praying as we delight and declare His truth.
Most of us realize we need to slow down and make Christ the focus of this season but knowing where to begin can be difficult so I’ve created this Praying Through the Names of Jesus this Christmas Season challenge.
I do want to clarify for those of you who have “doer” personalities that doing a devotional or regularly praying does not give you brownie points with God. As a child of God, you stand before Him redeemed, justified and righteous because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross. Your standing has been secured at the Cross, so rest my dear sister in Christ, rest in His finished work on the Cross!
We meet with Him to remember who we are and who He is not to prove who we are. He quiets our hearts and gives us courage for the day. He helps us call to mind His truth to calm our chaos.
Being in His word and presence gives us the strength for all that today and tomorrow holds. We worship Him as we dive deeper into His character and gain a greater sense of awe and wonder at who He is.
Praying Through the Names of Jesus
For families, I’ve created an Advent activity that coincides with these 12 Names of Jesus so you can enjoy praying the Names of Jesus on your own and then going through each name ornament as a family together–12 Names of Jesus Advent Ornaments Family Activity.
For us, Christmas was the perfect time to set apart our holidays for Christ instead of just going with the flow of what everyone else was doing or what was expected of us.
December will be busy. But it doesn’t have to be a blur. Let’s begin preparing room in our hearts this Advent for Immanuel—God with us.” ~A. Ramsey
There are no registrations or sign ups. All you need is a Bible and a few minutes. Join me every morning for the next 12 days beginning December 3rd at my Facebook Pageand we can discuss, learn from each other.
HOW TO JOIN ME IN THE 12 DAYS OF PRAYING THE NAMES OF JESUS
- 12 Days Praying the Names of Jesus PDF (1)Print out the Names of Jesus sheet & the Delight & Declare prayer guide.
- Bible: Look up the scripture passage that corresponds with the name for that day.
- Pray! You can use the Delight & Declare Prayer guide or you can incorporate the scripture into your prayer as you wish.
- Listen! Go to my Facebook page and follow along as I lead us through the 12 Names of Jesus each morning.
DELIGHT & DECLARE PRAYING SCRIPTURE GUIDE
This guide is included with the Names of Jesus printable. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to see the wonderful things in his Word. (Psalm 119:18)
- Delight in His Word. Read the verse/passage. Read the passage with intention and not rushing as you read the passage and delight in His word.
- Declare His Goodness. Respond. Read the passage again and respond to God. What does it say about God/Jesus/Holy Spirit? Praise Him! Declare God’s goodness to Him as it comes to mind. What comforts you and challenges you about God/Jesus/Holy Spirit as you read the passage? Is the passage telling us what He has done? Thank Him! Talk to God about these things.
- Delight in His truth. Read the verse again and meditate on it. What is going on in the context of this verse? Is there a phrase or word that stood out to you as you read? Ask God to lead you to a deeper understanding as you pray this verse for yourself or others. Talk to God about these things.
- Declare Your Need. Pay attention to what the Holy Spirit is highlighting or asking you to surrender. Let the Spirit lead you to confession, not condemnation. There is a difference!
Is this passage prodding your heart to pray for others or yourself?
Is it leading you to confess sin? The Holy Spirit keeps you from stumbling and Christ has presented you clothed in the righteousness so call out to Him. Talk to God about these things. - Delight in His Presence. Contemplate & Yield. Here you want to pause and listen. Sit quietly and become aware of God’s presence. Just be with your Heavenly Father. We yield to Him as we surrender our own will and declare our trust in His faithfulness.
