Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.” Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.—Matthew 20:30-34

23 Dec, 2020

The word ‘selah’ throughout Scripture is used as an exclamation mark at the end of a verse to help us pause and reflect on its meaning. Today, in day 23 of our Christmas devotional series we are resting on Matthew 20:30-34. Selah.

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The Compassionate Prayer

by Amanda Viviers

There comes a moment of humility for us all when we ask the Lord for help. Whether we are in a season of loss, or we need His wisdom for the coming days, prayer plays an integral part in our relationship with the compassion of Christ.

The word compassion in Latin is the word ‘compati’ which means “to suffer with”. Christ’s compassion was activated as He encountered the needs of those in His every day. His response was to suffer with them. Prayer is our own place of surrender that asks us to relax into Jesus and trust His ways above our own.

Psalm 145:18 invites the seeker to remember to call to Him in our time of need. A trust that goes beyond our understanding and allows His insight and power to come.

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

There are many ways to pray but one simple acronym that helps us in the formation of our time praying is the ACTS method.

Adoration

Begin by telling Jesus how much you adore and love Him, using words, songs or expression to sit in an attitude of worship.

Confession

Next, tell Jesus what you have done wrong and how you are sorry. Asking Him for forgiveness and redemption is a powerful way to sit with humility and invite Him into your story.

Thanksgiving

This is an opportunity to thank Jesus for what has happened in your day, reminding yourself of that which fills you with gratitude.

Supplication

The word supplication is translated to mean to plead. This is the time in your moment of prayer to ask for the Lord’s help and favour.

At the beginning of today’s devotion, we looked at the scripture from the gospel of Matthew, when two blind men asked Jesus for mercy.

The crowd rebuked them, telling them to leave Jesus be. This can be our own understanding of Christ and His time; we can be hesitant to pray, not wanting to interrupt him.

But the scripture goes on to remind us…

“Then, moved with compassion, Christ healed their sight.”

Dear Jesus, Thank you for your compassion upon us as we walk towards our future daily with you. We ask for your help, across the earth, to bring your justice and redemption. Heal our hearts and heal our land. Amen

Amanda Viviers

Amanda Viviers is the Narrative Lead at Compassion and author of 12 books on creativity, faith, and the power of your stories. The co-founder of Kinwomen, a radio program that starts conversations that matter. Wife of Charl and mum of Maximus and Liberty, she loves to help people find their voice.

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What role does prayer play in your understanding of Jesus’ mission here on earth?

Let us allow our prayers to combine this Christmas for the advocacy of those in need all over the world.

Advent Compassion Challenge

Today’s challenge is to pray for those in need in the world. Let us take time together as a community to pray for Compassion workers on the field. To pray for those who we are supporting in our churches in the developing world. This is an opportunity to use the ACTS model of prayer together as a family.

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