In The Same Way

This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

—John 15:12-13 (NLT)

My Lord Jesus,

Help me to love others as You have loved me.

Help me more fully understand and more completely receive Your love for me—so that I can be a channel of Your love in action for others.

Your Word shows me that Your love is not dependent on my love for You—and that it continues constant, unchanging and unfailing, regardless of my faults and failures.

Your love for me is demonstrated in Your compassion for me—and poured out over me in Your goodness and kindness toward me.

Your love for me is evidenced in Your patience and gentleness with me—for Your love for me is genuine and never superficial.

Your love for me changes me and always points me to my Heavenly Father—back to the love relationship I was made to have with Him.

Your love for me is sacrificial—to the point that not only did You give up Your life for me in death, but You also give me Your life through Your life forevermore.

Help me to love others as You have loved me.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

A Sheep In His Pasture

You are my flock, the sheep of my pasture. You are my people, and I am your God. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!

—Ezekiel 34:31 (NLT)

Sovereign LORD,

What joy it is to be given the opportunity to live in this covenant relationship with You—as I place my life in Your hands, knowing that I am Yours, and You are mine!

I am a member of Your flock, a sheep in Your pasture.  It is my responsibility to listen for Your voice and follow You obediently wherever You lead me—to place all of my life in Your hands.

You are my Good Shepherd, the One who continuously watches over me to protect me in every way—the One who loves me with an unfailing love and compassionately cares for my every need.

You are my Sovereign LORD, the One who holds all things in Your hands—the One who bends all things according Your will—the One in whom I place all of my trust and hope!

What joy it is to be given the opportunity to live in this covenant relationship with You— as I place my life in Your hands, knowing that I am Yours, and You are mine!

In the name of Jesus, Amen.