I am always desiring to pray more effectively. On reason is that so many of my prayers as I listen to them come out of my mouth are all about me. So this week, I have gone back to the word of God to help hear the Father’s heart and what He would have me to pray for. Thankfully, He does not leave me to try to figure it all out. There are things that He considers very important. People ask me all the time about what is the most important thing that they should pray for? The best way to find out what is the most important thing to pray for is to learn to pray the heart of God that is revealed through the scriptures. It actually simplifies things when you stop trying to figure it out and begin simply praying the heart of God as revealed to us.
It seems that the apostle Paul was very concerned about love in his teachings and in his prayers (Read 1 Corinthians 13). He fervently prayed that God would make love grow in the hearts of Christians. "I pray that your may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment" (Philippians 1:9). "May the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for
one another, and for all men, just as we also do for you" (1 Thessalonians 3:12). "[I pray] that you [would be] rooted and grounded in love" (Ephesians 3:17)." May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ" (2 Thessalonians 3:5).
It was an urgent plea when Paul prayed this way. Why? Because what is at stake in "increasing and abounding in love to one another and to all men" is immense. What is at stake is a compelling, supernatural demonstration of God's reality in world and the reality of God's nature is that He loves. "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love" (1 John 4:7-8). Jesus described the impact of the unity of love like this: "[I pray, Father] they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they may be in Us; that the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory You have given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We one; I in them, and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have I Me" (John 17:21-23). We may not fully understand this. But it is clear something tremendous is at stake in the practical unity of love in the body Christ.
Or consider John 13:34-35, where Jesus says, "A new commandment I give you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love one another." This is the one indispensable public mark of the Christian: visible, tangible, authentic. real love for other Christians. Jesus assumes that the world is watching this and that judgments are being made. He means it to be this way. He gives the world the seeming right to make these judgments about us.
Or consider Matthew 5:16: "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." The glory of our heavenly Father is at stake in the pattern of good deeds that out from our lives. When the light of God is seen in deeds wrought in His power and love, men and women will treasure God and give Him glory.
On the basis of all these texts, it seems that growing in love is of paramount importance in these difficult days. Paul prays in Ephesians 3:17-19, "...that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." To grow in love is to grow in evangelism and missions and caring for others and marriage and relationships and how to get along people you disagree with; and virtually everything else Is it no wonder that Paul calls love "the greatest of these" (1 Corinthians 13:13)?
So, the most important thing that you can pray is to make a name for Jesus Christ by the radical difference of your love for Him, your neighbor, your brothers and sisters, your enemy, and your friends.
To that end I pray in the words of Paul, "May the Lord cause you [and me] to increase and abound in love for one another. ant for all people" (1 Thessalonians 3:12). This is the great work of God. The great and first fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). "Now faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13).
May the Lord encourage you by His Word and His Spirit what to pray for and to begin praying big sweeping things about his love. May you know that you can boldly and confidently ask for from the Father and know that He will answer!.
Praying for us to love more than ever,
Pastor Bill
3 comments:
Paul certainly understood love. There is hope for all of us that we can understand also. Remember when certain people tried to talk Paul out of going to Jerusalem to face possible imprisonment. He said, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."
To me love is being faithful unto death. This concept annihilates my silly self pity.
Just wondering what your thought is about the second greatest commandment...Love your neighbor as you love yourself...I think many people even Christians struggle with loving themselves the way God intends and therefore there love for others is superficial...
Hey Karen. I agree with you. On one hand, I think Jesus is assuming that we all love ourselves. Of course in a distorted way for sure:self serving, self motivated, self driven, etc. But on a higher level, the love of God frees us to love ourselves for His sake and others sake so that we can fulfill the great commandment. Love is a truth, a power, and an experience ongoing that the Father wants for us so that we can rtruly walk in this reality with Him, others, and ouraelves.It is a love that comes out of the experience of His love for us. So we agree with Him that we are beloved of God and free to than love others with His love.
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