Thursday, February 14, 2008

How do you pray for the increase of God's love?

May God himself, our Father, and our Lord Jesus make it possible for us to come to you very soon. And may the Lord make your love grow and overflow to each other and to everyone else, just as our love overflows toward you. As a result, Christ will make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy when you stand before God our Father on that day when our Lord Jesus comes with all those who belong to him.

1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 NLT

A prayer for love

When Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, his love and concern for them were apparent in every word.

When he prayed for them, he asked the Lord to make their love for one another overflow.

Paul prayed that the Thessalonian church might become a loving, supporting community of faith.

The strong, silent, loner Christian didn't fit into Paul's understanding of how God works among his people.

Each of us needs each other.

God uses other believers to strengthen us and make us holy.

As you pray for strength to be faithful to God, you should expect his answer to come through those believers who worship every Sunday with you.

Likewise, you should earnestly pray that God might use you to strengthen other believers.

Prayer for today:

O God, help my love to grow and overflow to other believers…

from The One Year® Book of Bible Prayers edited by Bruce Barton, Tyndale House Publishers (2000), entry for February

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