A Willing Savior for Unwilling Sinners

Thank God Jesus was willing to give His life. A Willing Savior came for unwilling sinners. Paul David Tripp does an amazing job today in his devotional “O Come Let Us Adore Him, Dec. 2) in describing our unwillingness as a sinful people who want our own way.

Here is how he describes our unwillingness:

• We are often unwilling to do what God says if it doesn’t make sense to us.
• We are unwilling to be inconvenienced for others.
• We are unwilling to wait for God and his timing.
• We are often unwilling to be open and honest.
• We are unwilling to consider the rebuke of a close friend.
• We struggle to be willing to say no to temptation and sin.
• We are often unwilling to admit our sin and that we are wrong.
• We are unwilling to serve and give generously.

Here is how Jesus is Willing compared to our unwilling nature:

• Jesus was willing to leave the splendor of heaven to enter our broken world.
• Jesus was willing to take on human flesh in all its frailty.
• He willing to humbly be born in a stable and go through dependency of childhood.
• He was willing to expose himself to hardships of life in a fallen world.
• He was willing to submit to Father’s will at every point.
• He was willing to serve instead of being served.
• He was willing to be misunderstood, mistreated, to endure rejection and gross injustice.
• He was willing to suffer public mockery, physical torture, the pain of His Father’s rejection, and death on a cross!

The Entire story of Salvation and Redemption hinges on the ETERNAL WILLINGNESS of Jesus to give Himself up completely for us. Unwilling servants such as us have no hope without the willing Savior Jesus Christ.

His promises continue. And He is still willing today:

• He is willing to love you completely and fully on your worst day.
• He is willing to forgive you again and again.
• He is willing to be patient with you as you grow and mature.
• He is willing to fight for you.
• He is willing to teach you.
• He is willing to supply all of your needs.
• He is willing to guide you, strengthen you, and empower you.
• He is willing to protect you, help you, and bless you.
• He is willing to bring you home to heaven, ensuring safe passage from this life into the next life – where heaven is your final and eternal home.

Thank God that Jesus has been and remains so willing to be committed to unwilling rebels such as us. (Today’s blog is a basic summary of PDT’s Devotional from Dec. 2 in the book “O Come Let Us Adore Him.”)

Prayer: (Take a minute to slow down. Take deep breaths and focus on the willingness of Jesus to do all and give it all for you. Just thank Him for willingly loving, serving, and giving his life for you. When ready, choose willingly to come before Jesus Christ and the Father in prayer)

Father I willingly come to your throne today in the name of Jesus, the one who willingly laid down everything for me (Pause a moment).

I fully know that I am often unwilling in my response to you. I still hold on to my will. I still believe I know what is best. I still want to please my flesh. My unwillingness to surrender never leads to abundance but takes me further away from the fullness of Jesus Christ. Father I repent for my stubborn nature and heart. I am rebellious by nature.

Lord I bring my unwilling nature to the cross of Jesus this morning where I might consider myself dead. I have died with Jesus Christ, and I ask my will could be crucified with Christ. I trust that I am dead in Christ, and the life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God. Forgive me for my unwillingness Lord. Bring me to the place where my heart cry is, “Not my will, but thine be done.” I choose you Jesus. I know your will is better than mine. Holy Spirit forgive me for quenching and grieving you so often with an unwilling spirit. I repent and I can only show gratitude that Jesus has not given up on me at any point. Thank you Jesus that you are always willing to serve me, save me, help me and change.

Lord make me willing to lay my life down. Lord make me willing to surrender everything to you. I lay my life at your feet and declare I am helpless with you Lord. I need you to step in and save me from myself. Lord make me willing. I offer my life to you as fully as I can today and invite Jesus to be Lord over me, in me and through me. In Jesus name. Amen!

Today:

• Where do you find yourself most unwilling to surrender and walk in obedience. If there are one or two areas, be open and honest and talk with God about them.
• Take a step and share your sin (unwillingness) with a trusted friend of mentor. Confess this sin, repent, and have them pray for your healing (James 5).
• What are some steps today that you are willing to take to please and serve Jesus. Lean in to those and obey. We can continue to grow in willingness by leaning even more into the areas we are experiencing grace as we continue to seek for grace in our areas of struggle.
• Remind yourself today that you serve a Willing Savior, not a reluctant and faithless one. Trust that His willingness will always be greater than yours.