What Are You Asking For This Christmas?

In the month of December, I’m running Advent Series all over on, the Soul H2O Radio & Podcast Show, through the devotions, and on Instagram Lives. This week, the focus is on Christmas Love.

Soul H2O Radio & Podcast Show: Hope, Love, Joy, Peace, Jesus

Soul H2O Devotions/Posts: What’s The Right Way To Celebrate Advent, Hope, Love, Joy, Peace, Advent Inspiration For Your Christmas Season

Instagram Lives: Wednesdays at 12-12:10pm EST in December

WHAT ARE YOU ASKING FOR THIS CHRISTMAS?

After coming home from a missions’ trip just four weeks ago, getting into the Christmas gift mindset is a difficult shift.

People questioning; What are you asking for this Christmas? In a normal year I find it difficult to give people my Christmas wish, but this year is extra-tough. The reality is, I have soooooo much stuff. We all have so much, dare I say… too much stuff. I feel conflicted like Solomon, struggling to make sense of the justice and injustice in our world. Trying to enjoy what God’s blessed me with and holding ‘things’ loosely. As a family, we’ve decided to cut down the spending this year and I feel good about that. It just seems at this time of year that everyone around is asking for something, but are we asking for the right things from the right person?

JESUS AND THE SAMARITAN WOMAN

Today’s verse is taken from a pretty well-known portion of Scripture where Jesus stops in Samaria at the local watering hole; literally a well, not the neighborhood bar. 🙂 Jesus sits down and strikes up a conversation with a woman who has a history of broken relationships. Jesus asks for a drink of water. It’s a weird request from a Jewish man to a Samaritan woman since Jews at that time wouldn’t even use the same cups or bowls a Samaritan had used and that men didn’t just go up to unknown women.

Jesus replied,
“If you only knew the gift God has for you
and who you are speaking to,
you would ask me,
and I would give you living water.”
~John 4:10  NLT

ASKING

Jesus moves from asking the Samaritan woman for something to reminding this daughter of her value and how God had a gift with her name on the tag; something many people would have assumed the Samaritan woman forfeited with her lifestyle choices. I’m guessing somewhere along the line; this girl believed the lie that she didn’t deserve to ask God for anything. Maybe our Samaritan sister felt unworthy to think God would have something for her? Maybe she felt God let her down, hadn’t answered past prayers and the girl stopped asking?

Sometimes a lack of asking can be a lack of trust.

Jesus told this broken girl how she needed to start expecting… to start asking Him for living water. He wanted her to ask for the right thing, from the right source.

SO, WHAT ARE YOU ASKING FOR?

Too often we can get sidetracked in North America and ask for things that don’t satisfy our true thirst, and it’s especially true at Christmas time. The holiday to celebrate Jesus is often the busiest time of the year when we spend the least amount of time with Him.

This year, make your Christmas list, enjoy all God blesses your life with but don’t forget to ask God for the gifts He’s prepared for you. God has more set aside for your life than you can imagine. He wants you to ask. Don’t let the presents from Him go unopened and unused. Make sure to ask for the right thing, from the right source… God, the giver of all things good has something special for YOU!

Prayer

Father…You are so good! Even when I don’t deserve anything you have gifts for me. I’m so thankful that You want to refresh me, You want to restore me, You want to fill me to overflowing so the effects of my life spill out to others. Help me to see my value, so I can come before You and expect good things. I want to receive all You have for me! In Jesus Name…Amen