I first heard the following prayer in one of the 24-7 advent podcasts I’ve been listening to. It is a prayer written by Jen Hatmaker. This prayer really made me think.

 I desire about 64% of Jesus. That is about all of Him and His ways I can handle. For every 6 things I like about Jesus’ stuff, there are 4 that I am totally willing to ignore or discredit. I look several things in the eye and say NOPE. I hover around a D-.

Take Matthew 25, for example. Jesus so deeply identifies himself with the prisoner and the hungry and the stranger and the naked and poor, He says, “When you consider them and their plight, imagine that it is actually Me you are serving.”

Let me tell you something, Jesus: I do NOT want to see your face in the faces of these complicated, hurting, needy people. When I see a prisoner, I want to see “criminal.” When I see the homeless, I want to see “addict.” When I see a refugee, I want to see “threat” or at least “financial drain.”

What I do not want to see is your sweet face.

Why couldn’t you identify with more stable people? We like you in the faces of our children and best friends, for example. We like you in our government and in our Family Friendly Movies. We like you in our pretty churches and gated neighborhoods.

We do not want to see you in the faces of the poor. Now you are really messing with us. You do realize what this sort of holy identification will cost and require, right?

Why?? Why did you have to say all that in Matthew 25? I know we are to live this death and resurrection with you, but I only like the resurrection part. I’m serious. I want to skip the death part because it is too hard and requires way too much dying.

~By Jen Hatmaker

How much of Jesus do you desire?

https://www.24-7prayer.com/podcasts