An Unconventional Christmas Eve Message
December 24, 2024
I have been having a strong emotional reaction lately to a particular sentence when it is said during prayer before a group event.
Lord, let at least one person be touched.
One person?!!
The second I hear that I start praying in my head, “Lord, touch every single person that comes tonight. Let every single person leave closer to You than they arrived.”
You get the idea.
Why do we pray with such limits? Think about the God we serve.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. (Psalm 
139:13)
For God so loved the WORLD, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life. (John 3:16)
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)
So why would we not expect Him to produce good results for every single person at every group event?
And why would we not expect Him to show up strong for us, every single day? This month was intensely busy with work. It took all of my time management skill to make it through. This past week while I was driving to my third conference this month, I asked my daughter to pray that I would be amazing at both my presentation with a student and at running a very difficult meeting.
“I am not amazing,” I said, “but God is, so I expect Him to be amazing through me.”
I pray big, not because I am big, but He is; not because I am amazing, but He is amazing as He lives through me.
Let’s pray big this week.
Our God is limitless, so let’s pray like He is. Our God is magnificent, so let’s pray like He is. Our God is perfect, so let’s pray like He is.
The Holy Spirit that lives inside of you and I is amazing, so expect Him to be amazing through you when You surrender your heart to Him in any moment of the day and let Him do what only God can do….
Be love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22)
Picture Explanation: My husband cleaned out the pictures on his phone. As he scrolled and deleted, he sent me three pictures. These are the ones he liked best of his bride, out of the hundreds.
© 2020 by Oaks Ministries. All rights reserved.
I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes growth.
1 Corinthians 3:6
8 Responses
Laurie,
Thanks for the reminder to pray “big.” The lyrics “I have made you too small in my eyes” come to mind. “Lord, Be Magnified!” It is good to remember that He wants us to trust Him to do only what He can do. He wants us to trust Him to show His strength in our weakness. Again, thank you for your wonderful words! I love the photos!
As I have been reflecting on my life lately, I have been increasingly aware of my default setting to shrink back. Am I the only person who prefers what is comfortable? What is disconcerting is that without faith, it is impossible to please God. Gulp. When I live a life that is doable in my own strength, there is no faith (or little). I am facing some scheduling decisions coming up and I have been deciding to live my faith, though I am scared and wanting to hold onto my time so badly.
Thanks Laurie for the two biggest words that can ignite my mind to really focus on the power of God. Think Big speaks endless possibilities, never ending love, from our heavenly Father. Thank you for the reminder. You are truly a gift from God.
Hello sweet friend,
It is good to hear from you. Pray big. Live big. Step off the edge of what you can do in your own strength and trust God. I will aim to do that same. Let’s pray for each other.
Praise You, Lord Jesus Christ!
YES! Pray BIG!
And remember… that no matter what we pray for or about, God knows what we need!
(Even more perfectly than we may ask for.)
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
James 1:17 NIV
https://www.bible.com/111/jas.1.17.niv
What a wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord!
And YES! Our Heavenly Father desires that EVERY ONE OF US will find Him and not be left behind.
Read in Genesis 18 how God was willing to spare an entire city if even only TEN were worthy of being saved.
What a compassionate, patient, loving Heavenly Father we serve!
“Leave not ONE behind, Dear Lord we pray.”
Ah, yes, I spoke on Genesis 18 last year! He has us marked. He knows exactly where each of us are on the globe. Each of us is positioned perfectly for His good. May we each invite Him into our circles of influence and trust Him with something. Let’s not shrink back in our prayers or our actions.
(It’s been fun having you out there in cyberspace, by the way. Thanks for chiming in every so often.)
This post has encouraged me so much! It has reignited the fire of faith that has burned in my heart! I think I have grown weary not seeing any change after investing so much time in someone’s life for such a long time! I believe our neighborhoods are our mission field, and I am going to pray bigger and praise God for what He is doing even when nothing seems to be happening. I want to be faithful no matter what the outcome. Only God can change hearts and His timing is perfect! Thank you for your blog!!
Oh, sweet friend. I too am weary of what looks like no change. I get it! As I was praying with my son this morning on the way to church on this cold morning, I thanked God for all the unseen things happening deep down in the dirt that will make spring possible just about one month. Let’s hang in there. You keep pouring into those neighbors, and let’s make sure most our work is done on our knees. I have been trying too hard lately. Time to let God do His thing.