Jesus Listens December 31

My guiding God,
As I come to the end of this year, I need to take some time to look back–and also to look ahead. Please guide me as I review the highlights of this year: hard times as well as good times.
Help me to see You in these memories, for I know You have been close beside me every step of the way.

When I was clinging to You for help in the midst of tough times, You comforted me with Your loving Presence. You were also richly present in circumstances that filled me with great Joy. You were with me on the mountain peaks, in the valleys, and everywhere in between!

My future stretches out before me, all the way into eternity, and You are the Companion who will never leave me–the Guide who knows every step of the way ahead. The Joy that awaits me in heaven is inexpressible and full of Glory! As I prepare to step into a new year, I ask for Your glorious Light to shine upon me and brighten the path before me.
In Your triumphant Name, Jesus, Amen.

“For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.””
Isaiah 41:13

“That this is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever.”
Psalm 48:14

“Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
1 Peter 1:8-9

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.””
John 8:12

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah

Jesus Listens December 30

My loving Savior,
I want to become increasingly preoccupied with You. Yet I confess that my default state of mind is to be preoccupied with myself: my needs, my desires, my goals, my appearance, and so on. I hate this sinful tendency, and I know that it’s displeasing to You. I long to break free from this bondage!
People who are deeply in love tend to focus on each other.

So learning to love You more fully with all my heart and soul and mind- is the best way to become more focused on You.
The Bible refers to this teaching as the greatest commandment, and it is a most worthy goal! I realize I cannot do it perfectly in this life. But the more I’m able to comprehend Your boundless, unfailing Love for me and take delight in it -the more lovingly I can respond to You. This is a glorious quest!

Help me learn to receive Your Love in greater height, depth, breadth, and constancy- and to respond with ever-increasing love for You. This will set me free from the bondage of self- absorption and empower me to grow increasingly preoccupied with You, my Savior-King. Then I will be free indeed!
In Your liberating Name, Jesus, Amen.

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your
soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.”
Matthew 22:37-38

But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever.
Psalm 52:8

“We love because he first loved us.”
1 John 4:19

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young

Jesus Listens December 29

Lord Jesus,
I come to You, seeking to find rest in Your Presence. How precious it is, Lord, to realize tha t You are thinking about me constantly! I long to be increasingly mindful of You. You’ve been teaching me that awareness of Your Presence can give me rest even when I’m very busy. An inner peacefulness flows out of remembering that You are with me always. This remembrance permeates my heart, mind, and spirit-filling me with Joy.
I confess that sometimes I get so focused on the problems

I see and the predictions I hear that my joy gets buried under layers of worry and fear. When this happens, I need to bring my concerns to You talking with You about each one, seeking Your help and guidance, asking You to remove those worry-layers. As I entrust My concerns into Your care and keeping, Joy begins to emerge again. I’ve learned that the most effective way for me to nurture this gladness is speaking and singing praises to You the King of Glory!
In Your praiseworthy Name, Amen.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28

“How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!”
Psalm 139:17

Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:20

“Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. ”
Psalm24:7

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young

Jesus Listens December 28

Delightful Lord,
I love listening to the song that You continually sing to me: take great delight in you; I renew you by My Love; I shout for Joy over you.” The voices of this world are a cacophony of chaos, pulling me this way and that. Help me not to listen to those voices but to challenge them with Your Word. Show me how to take breaks from the noise of the world finding a place to be still in Your Presence so I can hear Your voice.

I believe there is immense hidden treasure to be found through listening to You. You are always pouring out blessings upon me, but some of Your richest blessings have to be actively sought. I rejoice when You reveal Yourself to me through Your Word, Your people, and the wonders of creat io n.
Having a seeking heart opens me up to receive more of You. The Bible gives me clear instructions: Keep on asking and it will be given to you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you.
In Your generous Name, Jesus, Amen.

“The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you
with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17

“He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the
cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.””
Matthew 17:5

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
Matthew 7:7

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young

Jesus Listens December 27

Steadfast Savior,
Help me find Joy in the midst of brokenness. One of the hardest times for me to be joyful is when I’m dealing with multiple problems seeking solutions but finding none-and then suddenly I’m faced with a new problem. I’ve found that if I focus too much on searching for solutions, I start to sink under the weight of all my difficulties. Please remind me at such times that You are present with me in the midst of my various trials. I need to trust that You’re at work in my situation and that You’re able to bring good out of evil. Your matchless wisdom and sovereign strength enable You to outsmart evil with good!

I want to encounter You in my difficult circumstances-believing that You are near me in my troubles. I need to unplug my emotions from all the problems and plug them into Your Presence. By connecting with You, my dark mood grows steadily lighter and brighter. Also, as I remain in You plugged in to Your radiant Presence You enable me to see things from Your perspective.
I can be joyful even during adversity by staying connected to You. There is abundant Joy in Your Presence!
In Your joyous Name, Jesus, Amen.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
James 1:2-3

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!”
Romans 11:33

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine,
neither can you, unless you abide in me.”
John 15:4

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right
hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Psalm 16:11

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young

Jesus Listens December 26

Wonderful Jesus,
Your Word teaches that I am in You, and You are in me. This is such a profound mystery! You are the infinite Creator and Sustainer of the universe, and I am a finite, fallen human being.
Yet You and I live not only with each other but in each other. I am filled with Your fullness – flooded with You Yourself! This is a deeper, richer union than I can find in any human relation- ship. You know everything about me, from my deepest thoughts and feelings to the events I will encounter throughout my life.
Because I belong to You, feelings of aloneness are really just an illusion. The whole earth is full of Your glorious Presence!

In You I live and move and have my being. Every step I take, every word I speak, every breath I breathe–all is done in Your watchful, embracing Presence. I’m immersed in Your invisible yet ever-so-real Being! The more aware of You I am, the more alive and complete I feel. Please strengthen my awareness of Your loving Presence as I go step by step through this day.
In Your watchful, loving Name, Amen.

“In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.” John 14:20
Colossians 1:27

“and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭19‬

“for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭17‬:‭28‬

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young

Jesus Listens December 25

Precious Lord Jesus,
When an angel announced Your birth to shepherds living out in the fields near Bethlehem, he told them: “Do not be afraid. I bring you good tidings of great Joy.” This command to not be afraid is repeated frequently throughout the Bible. Thank You for providing this tender, merciful directive. You know how prone to fear I am, yet You do not condemn me for it. However, I do want to break free from my inclination to be fearful.

I’ve discovered that Joy is a powerful antidote to fear. And the greater the Joy, the more effective an antidote it is. The angel’s announcement to the shepherds was one of great Joy! Help me never to lose sight of what amazingly good news the gospel is!

The moment I trusted You as my Savior, You forgave all my sins-past, present, and future. This glorious gift of grace ensures that my ultimate destination is heaven. Moreover, You gave me Yourself the greatest treasure of all! You lavished Your Love on me and promised me Your Presence forever. As I ponder the angel’s wondrous proclamation to the shepherds, I rejoice in You, my beloved Savior.
In Your magnificent Name, Amen.

“And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”
Luke 2:8-10

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”
Ephesians 2:8

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”
Philippians 4:4

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young

Jesus Listens December 24

King Jesus,
You are King of kings and Lord of lords; You dwell in unapproachable Light! I’m grateful that You are also my Shepherd, Companion, and Friend–the One who never lets go of my hand. I worship You in Your holy Majesty. And I draw near You to rest in Your loving Presence. I need You both as God and as Man. Only Your birth on that first, long-ago Christmas could meet all my needs.

Instead of trying to comprehend Your incarnation intellectually, I want to learn from the example of the wise men. They followed the leading of a spectacular star, then fell down in humble worship in Your Presence. Inspired by the magi, I long to respond to the wonder of Your holy birth with ardent adoration.

Please help me grow in my capacity to worship You as my Savior, Lord, and King. You held back nothing in Your amazing provision for me, and I rejoice in all that You are- all You have done!
You are the Light from on high that dawns upon us, to direct and guide our feet into the way of Peace.
In Your majestic Name, Amen.

“which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.”
1 Timothy 6:15-16

“When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.”
Matthew 2:10-11

“because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.””
‭‭Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭78‬-‭79‬

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young

Jesus Listens December 23

Immanuel,
You are God with us at all times. This promise from Your Word provides a solid foundation for my Joy. Sometimes I try to pin my pleasure to temporary things, but Your Presence with me is an eternal blessing. I rejoice that You, my Savior, have promised You will never leave me.

The nature of time can make it difficult for me to fully enjoy my life. On those days when everything is going well, my awareness that the ideal conditions are fleeting can dampen my enjoyment. Even the most delightful vacation must eventually come to an end. Seasons of life also come and go, despite my longing at times to stop the clock and keep things as they are.

I don’t want to look down on the temporary pleasures You provide, but I do need to accept their limitations- their inability to quench the thirst of my soul. Please help me remember that my search for lasting Joy will fail unless I make You the ultimate goal of my quest. In Your Presence there is fullness of Joy.
In Your joyful Name, Jesus, Amen.

““Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).”
Matthew 1:23

“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.””
Hebrews 13:5

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Psalm 16:11

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young

Jesus Listens December 22

Compassionate Jesus,
You came into the world as a Light so that no one who believes in You would stay in darkness. You didn’t just bring Light into the world; You are the Light that shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it. Nothing can extinguish this illumination because You are infinite and all-powerful!

When I believed in You, I became a child of Light. Your brightness entered into my inner being, enabling me to see from Your perspective -things in the world and things in my heart.
When Your Spirit illumines the contents of my heart and shows me things that are displeasing to You, help me to repent and walk in Your ways. This is the road to freedom.

Lord, I rejoice in my brightened perspective. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the Light of the gospel of Your Glory. But because I belong to You, I have the Light of the knowledge of Your Glory shining in my heart! Thank You, Jesus! In Your bright, illuminating Name, Amen.

“I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. “
John 12:46

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
John 1:5

“For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.”
1 Thessalonians 5:5

“In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
2 Corinthians 4:4, 6

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young