Jesus Listens February 29

Gracious Lord,

Often I pray intensely for something and wait eagerly for the answer. If You grant my request, I respond joyfully and thankfully. But rather than lingering in a grateful attitude, I tend to move on too quickly to asking for the next thing. Lord, instead of experiencing only a short-lived burst of gratitude, I want to learn to remain in an attitude of thankful Joy letting my gratefulness spill over into the future.

Help me to train myself to remember Your gracious responses to my requests. I find it beneficial to tell others about blessings I’ve received from You. Another way of being mindful of answered prayer is to write down the answers someplace where I’ll see them frequently.

Please teach me to remember Your marvelous works with thankfulness. You’ve shown me that gratefulness blesses me doubly with joyful memories of answered prayer and with the pleasure of sharing my happiness with You!

In Your jubilant Name, Jesus, Amen.

“Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭95‬:‭2‬

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15‬:‭57‬

“And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord”
‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭16‬:‭2‬

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young

Jesus Listens September 22

My ardent Lord,

Your Love chases after me every day of my life! So I’ll look for signs of Your loving Presence as I go through this day. You disclose Yourself to me in a variety of ways- words of Scripture just when I need them, helpful words spoken through other people, “coincidences” orchestrated by Your Spirit, nature’s beauty, and so on. Your Love for me is not passive. It actively chases after me and leaps into my life! Please open the eyes of my heart so I can “see” You blessing me in myriad ways- both small and great.

I want to not only receive Your bountiful blessings but also take careful note of them-treasuring them and pondering them in my heart. I’m thankful for the countless ways You show up in my life. I like to write down some of these blessings so I can enjoy them again and again. These signs of Your Presence strengthen me and prepare me for whatever difficulties I’ll encounter on the road ahead. Help me to remember that nothing in all creation can separate me from Your Love!

In Your conquering Name, Jesus, Amen.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭23‬:‭6‬

“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭119‬:‭11‬

“But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭19‬

“nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭39‬

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young

Jesus Listens September 14

Dearest Jesus,

You are worthy of all my confidence, all my trust! So instead ofletting world events spook me, I’ll pour my energy into trusting You and looking for evidence of Your Presence in the world.

I love to whisper Your Name- to reconnect my heart and mind to You. You are near to all who call upon You. Please wrap me in Your abiding Presence and comfort me with Your Peace.

Help me remember that You are both loving and faithful.

Your Love reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the skies.

This means that I can never come to the end of Your Love; it is limitless and everlasting! Moreover, I can stand on the Rock of Your faithfulness, no matter what circumstances I’m facing.

I realize that putting my confidence in my abilities, edu-cation, or success is futile and displeasing to You. Teach me to place my confidence fully in You–the Savior whose sacrificial death and miraculous resurrection opened the way for me into eternal Glory!

In Your breathtaking Name, Amen.

“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭145‬:‭18‬

“Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭36‬:‭5‬

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4‬:‭17‬

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young

Jesus Listens August 2

Gracious Jesus,

Thank You for the gift of this new day! I want to nurture well my thankfulness–it’s the royal road to loy. In fact, I’ve discovered that no pleasure is really complete without expressing gratitude for it. I know it’s good to thank the people through whom 1 receive blessings, but I need to remember that You are the One from whom all blessings flow. Please remind me to praise and thank You frequently throughout the day.

This delightful discipline nurtures my soul and enhances my relationship with You–providing an easy way for me to draw near You.

You have blessed me with the glorious gift of grace-undeserved, unearned favor. I rejoice that no one and no set of circumstances can strip me of this lavish gift. I belong to You forever! Nothing in all creation will be able to separate me from Your loving Presence.

Mease keep me aware of Your Presence as I walk with You through this day. Help me to stay alert so I can find the blessings and pleasures You scatter along my path. The greatest treasure is You, Jesus, for You are the indescribable Gift!

In Your treasured Name, Amen.

“Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭95‬:‭2‬

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬-‭9‬

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭38‬-‭39‬

“Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭15‬

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young

Jesus Listens July 23

My King.

Your thoughts are not my thoughts; neither are Your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are Your ways and thoughts higher than mine.

Help me to rejoice as I ponder how great You are. I marvel at the wonder of being able to commune with You–the King of the universe–any time, any place! Please don’t ever let me take this amazing prayer-privilege for granted.

Even though You are infinitely higher and greater than I am,

You’re training me to think Your thoughts. As I spend time in Your Presence-reading Your Word and praying -Your thoughts gradually form in my mind. I realize that Your Spirit is the Director of this process. He guides my mind while I’m waiting in Your Presence, making plans or mulling over problems. Sometimes He brings specific Bible verses to mind just when I need them.

These communications strengthen me and prepare me for whatever is before me on my life-path. Lord, spending time with You has blessed me far more than I dared to ask or even imagine!

In Your majestic Name, Jesus, Amen.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭55‬:‭8‬-‭9‬

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭4‬:‭2‬

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭26‬

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young

Jesus Listens May 15

Dearest Lord Jesus,

Whenever plans and problems are preoccupying my mind, I need to turn to You and whisper Your Name. As I rest in You and rejoice in Your unfailing Love, the Light of Your Presence shines upon me. Thank You for watching over me always and for loving me eternally. I love You, Jesus, and I trust You to illuminate the way forward- showing me what needs to be done today and what does not. Help me to deal with problems as needed while refusing to let worry or fear become central in my thoughts.

You light up my perspective as I keep turning my attention to You. A wonderful way to focus on You is to saturate my mind and heart with Scripture-reading it, studying it, and memorizing verses that are especially meaningful to me. Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

As I persevere in these practices, my preoccupation with problems and plans diminishes. This leaves room in my life for more of You. Lord, I ask You to fill me with the joy of Your Presence!

In Your delightful Name, Amen.

“Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭33‬:‭22‬

“casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭7‬

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭119‬:‭105‬

“You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭28‬

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young

Jesus Listens April 26

Faithful Savior,

I want to live as close to You as I can- moment by moment.

But sometimes I let difficulties distract me from Your Presence with me.

I used to think that my circumstances determined the quality of my life. So I poured my energy into trying to control those situations. I felt happy when things were going well–and sad or upset when things didn’t go my way. I didn’t question this correlation between my circumstances and my feelings. But the Bible tells me that it’s possible to be content in any and every situation.

Help me to put more of my energy into trusting You and enjoying Your Presence. Instead of letting my happiness depend on my circumstances, I long to connect my joy to You and Your precious promises-as You speak to me through Your Word:

I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.

I will meet all your needs according to My glorious riches.

Nothing in all creation can separate you from My Love.

In Your beloved Name, Jesus, Amen.

“I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬

“Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.””
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭28‬:‭15‬

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭19‬

“nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭39‬

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young

Jesus Listens March 28

Gracious Lord,

Help me to hope for what I do not see-eagerly waiting for it with perseverance. Among the five senses, sight is the one I value the most. You created the world gloriously beautiful, and I delight in seeing the beauty of Your creation. However, I realize that hope, which is itself a kind of vision, is even more wonderful than sight. Hope enables me to see through the eyes of my heart- -things that are not yet. The most stunning example of this is the hope of heaven. Your Word tells me that my ultimate destination is to share in Your Glory! I can trust in this magnificent promise because it’s based on Your finished work on the cross and Your miraculous resurrection.

I need to practice hoping for things I do not see-both for this life and the next. Please guide me into hopes and dreams that are in line with Your will. I want to train the eyes of my heart to “see” these blessings while praying for Your will to be done fully and only. Teach me to wait eagerly with perseverance-with my focus primarily on You but also on the longed-for outcome.

You are my Hope!

In Your great Name, Jesus, Amen.

“But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭25‬

“The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,”
‭‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭22‬

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young

Jesus Listens March 27

Eternal God,

I realize that problems are inescapable -woven into the very fabric of this fallen world. Yet I confess that I go into problem-solving mode all too readily, acting as if I have the capacity to fix everything. This is a habitual response so automatic that it usually bypasses my conscious thinking. This habit not only frustrates me, but it distances me from You.

I don’t want to let “fixing things” be such a high priority in my life. I’m realizing more and more how limited I am in my ability to correct all that is wrong in this broken world. Instead of weighing myself down with matters that are not my respon-sibility, I yearn to make my relationship with You my primary focus. Please remind me to talk with You about whatever is on my mind, seeking Your perspective on the situation. Rather than trying to fix everything around me, I can ask You to show me what You want me to do today- and not worry about the rest.

Lord, I delight in pondering the wondrous truth that I am on my way to heaven. Help me to stay focused on You- letting my problems fade in the glorious Light of eternity.

In Your brilliant Name, Jesus, amen.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭32‬:‭8

“But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.””
‭‭Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭41‬-‭42

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭20‬

“In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”
‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭2‬-‭3‬

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young

Jesus Listens March 26

Ever-present God,

The most important fact of my existence is that You are perpetually with me taking care of me. I’m thankful that You are not limited by time or space and that Your Presence with me is a forever-promise. So I have good reason to face the future calmly, trusting that You are already there.

Your Word assures me that when I make the quantum leap into eternity, I will find You awaiting me in heaven. Since my future is in Your hands, I don’t need to worry about tomorrow. Whenever I start to feel anxious, help me hear You saying: “My child, do not worry.?” Lord, I want to live this day abundantly seeing all there is to see, doing all there is to do. Instead of being distracted by future concerns, I’ll try to entrust them to You. Each day of life is a glorious gift from You, but I confess that I struggle to live within the confines of today. Often, my energy for abundant living spills over the timeline into tomorrow’s worries or past regrets. When I waste my precious energy in this way, I limp through the day instead of living it to the full. But when 1 keep my focus on Your Presence in the present, I can walk confidently living exuberantly.

In Your treasured Name, Jesus, Amen.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭6‬

““Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭34‬

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭10

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young