A Prayer to See Christ as Protector
By Chelsey DeMatteis
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” John 15-17
Recently I found myself in deep thought, pondering all the attributes of Christ and how I could share with my 5-year-old son to paint a clear picture of who Christ is to him. The first on my paper was Christ our protector. To follow was Christ our guide, Christ our Redeemer, and of course, Christ our Savior.
As believers, it can be easy to recall all of the ways that Jesus called us to live in this world, love those around us, and how to do ministry where He’s placed us. What I’ve found is in the day-to-day, it takes a lot more effort to recall all that Christ is to us. Partly because it’s hard to wrap our minds around the incredible gift Christ is and all that endured on our behalf, but the main cause is we often want to take on the roles of Christ. It seems easier in the mundane to think of all I can do rather than what Christ does do.
We want to be the sole protector of our people and our circumstances, we want to be the guide of our life, we want to be the redeemer of hardships we face, and we want to act as Savior.
This reminds me of what Jesus spoke to his disciples in John 14. He promised his followers the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise now meant Christ will dwell in us! And with this gift, He dwells in us to protect, guide, convict, and redeem. O’, what a wonderful Savior!!!
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” John 15-17
As you and I find ourselves trying to navigate this world and all that comes along with passing through this place before we reach eternity, I pray we recall what Jesus promised. Through recalling this promise, I hope it would cause us to trust the leading of the Holy Spirit, look to Christ as the one who protects us every step of the way, and share the good news of this gift to all we encounter.
Let’s pray:
Lord, thank you for the promise of your Holy Spirit. I pray that in the moments I begin to do things in my own strength that I would recall who You are
in my life. My only protector, my only guide, my only Redeemer, and my only Savior. Help me choose to live from this place, clinging to and sharing the Good News we’ve received because of the cross.In Jesus’ name, amen.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Arthit_Longwilai
Chelsey is the voice behind the Living with Less Podcast and author of the 52-week devotional More of Him, Less of Me: Living a Christ-centered Life in a Me-centered World. She writes devotions for Lifeway Women's Journey Magazine, Crosswalk.com, and iBelieve.com. She also writes Bible reading plans for the YouVersion Bible App. Chelsey lives in Ohio with her husband and two children. You can connect with her on Instagram @chelseydematteis and at her website ChelseyDeMatteis.com.
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This conversation explores how parents can alleviate fear, explain why conflict exists, and demonstrate a faith-filled response when the world seems chaotic. Jeremy also discusses the importance of teaching children the difference between necessary and unnecessary violence, why standing against evil matters, and how faith in God provides stability even in uncertain times. If this episode of March or Die helped your spiritual perspective, be sure to follow the show on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
Originally published Thursday, 11 January 2024.
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