December 21 - Free Gift
 (Fourth Sunday of Advent)

Before you begin, meditate on this thought:  God has chosen to work through me.

Father how I thank You that because I have put my faith and trust in Christ, He has made me a new creation!  The old has gone--the new has come! This great redemptive work is from You Father, through Christ, for me!  My relationship with You has been made right and because of His finished work on the cross You do not hold my sin against me! Hallelujah! Praise Your holy name! (Pause and be thankful that Christ Jesus has saved you from your sin.)

Now Father I ask that You help me to understand what it means that because I am in Christ the message of reconciliation is lived out and proclaimed, through me!  May I be found worthy of the name “Ambassador of Christ” and faithfully implore others to be reconciled to You.

The free gift of salvation through Jesus that alone can make us to be the “righteousness of God” is good news that most around me need desperately to hear. I ask that You capture my heart again I pray, with the joy of this great salvation in You and open my lips that I might praise You and proclaim with great joy, the gospel message.  You are the God of all hope and I ask that I would overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit and continually be prepared to give the reason for the hope that I have in You. 

This day I ask You Wonderful Counselor, that You open my heart and mind and give me ears to hear what You would say to me, what You would speak through me. Make me increasingly sensitive to Your voice and gentle promptings, and give me a willing, submissive spirit that I might obey.

Mighty God, may Your power be evident through the way I live and conduct my life, that I would truly live and move and have my very being in You alone.

Everlasting Father may Your fatherly embrace and great love be expressed through my life. In my conversations and interactions with the world around me, be glorified I pray.  May Jesus be seen through me in such loving ways that many are drawn to Him.

Prince of Peace in the midst of this chaotic fearful world, may the peace of Christ be spread through my life. Increase my trust and hope in You that I in turn might minister to those around me who are as sheep without a shepherd.

Give me Your heart. Your eyes. Your ears, O Lord. That in all things I might respond as Jesus would, and be a worthy ambassador of the gospel. In the name of Jesus, Emmanuel, I pray. Amen.

(2 Corinthians 5:16-21; Psalm 51:12,15; Romans 15:13; 1 Peter 3:15; Acts 17:28; Matthew 5:16)

--This Advent prayer was written by Tiece L. King, the author of Pray the Word. This resource is available at prayerleader.com. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount on the book.

Prayer Points

• Praise the God of faith, hope, and love (1 Cor. 13:13).
• Thank him for the “new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet.1:3).
• Confess those times when you have given in to discouragement rather than hoping in God.
• Commit yourself to taking hold of the hope which God freely offers to you (Heb. 6:18).
• Ask that you will have opportunity to share your hope with another person today.
• Ask God to help you live in such a way that your unsaved friends will ask “you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Pet. 3:15). Then be ready with your answer!