Just Love!

 

Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD.  And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’  The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  No other commandment is greater than these.  —Mark 12:29-31 (NLT)

 

 

 

Dear LORD God,

 

Oh, that I could more perfectly return to You that same love with which You first loved me—and then actively love others in the same way that I love myself!

 

Help me to make room within my heart, so that You can fill it completely with Your love—that love that overwhelms me and consumes my soul—so that I would never miss any opportunity You give me to participate with You in loving those around me.

 

Help me to avoid the trap of believing that there could ever be anything more important than these all-inclusive commands—commands that are not restricted by time or place, commands I should follow no matter where I may find myself.

 

Just as You have loved me, help me to love others well—with that same compassion, patience, kindness, mercy, forgiveness, and grace that You have shown me—by willingly and obediently reflecting Your love for them in all my thoughts, words, and actions.

 

Oh, that I could more perfectly return to You that same love with which You first loved me—and then actively love others in the same way that I love myself!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

You Must Love

 

Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD.  And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’  The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  No other commandment is greater than these.  —Mark 12:29-31 (NLT)

 

Dear LORD God,

 

Oh, that I could more perfectly return to You that same love with which You first loved me—and then actively love others in the same way that I love myself!

 

Help me to make room within my heart, so that You can fill it completely with Your love—that love that overwhelms me and consumes my soul—so that I would never miss any opportunity You give me to participate with You in loving those around me.

 

Help me to avoid the trap of believing that there could ever be anything more important than these all-inclusive commands—commands that are not restricted by time or place, commands I should follow no matter where I may find myself.

 

Just as You have loved me, help me to love others well—with that same compassion, patience, kindness, mercy, forgiveness, and grace that You have shown me—by willingly and obediently reflecting Your love for them in all my thoughts, words, and actions.

 

Oh, that I could more perfectly return to You that same love with which You first loved me—and then actively love others in the same way that I love myself!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

You Must Love!

 

Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD.  And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’  The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  No other commandment is greater than these.  —Mark 12:29-31 (NLT)

 

Dear LORD God,

 

Oh, that I could more perfectly return to You that same love with which You first loved me—and then actively love others in the same way that I love myself!

 

Help me to make room within my heart, so that You can fill it completely with Your love—that love that overwhelms me and consumes my soul—so that I would never miss any opportunity You give me to participate with You in loving those around me.

 

Help me to avoid the trap of believing that there could ever be anything more important than these all-inclusive commands—commands that are not restricted by time or place, commands I should follow no matter where I may find myself.

 

Just as You have loved me, help me to love others well—with that same compassion, patience, kindness, mercy, forgiveness, and grace that You have shown me—by willingly and obediently reflecting Your love for them in all my thoughts, words, and actions.

 

Oh, that I could more perfectly return to You that same love with which You first loved me—and then actively love others in the same way that I love myself!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Love the LORD, and Love Your Neighbor as Yourself

Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD.  And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’  The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  No other commandment is greater than these.”

—Mark 12:29-31 (NLT)

Dear LORD God,

Oh, that I could more perfectly reflect back to You the same love with which You first loved me—and then actively love others, just like I love myself!

Help me not to get so distracted by my own thoughts and plans that I fail to be focused on loving You as I am commanded to do—and miss the opportunity to participate with You, in loving others all around me.

Help me to avoid the trap of believing that there could be anything more important than these all-inclusive commands—commands that are not restricted by time or place, commands I should follow no matter where I find myself.

Help me to make room within my heart, so that You can fill it completely with Your love—a love that overwhelms me, consuming my soul—and then let my every thought, and the motivation behind everything I say and do, spring forth out of my love for You.

And as You have loved me, help me to love others—with that same compassion, patience, kindness, mercy, forgiveness, and grace that You have shown me—by willingly and obediently allowing You to use me, to demonstrate Your love for them.

Oh, that I could more perfectly reflect back to You the same love with which You first loved me—and then actively love others, just like I love myself!

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Loving in the Same Way Christ has Loved Me

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

—John 13:34 (NASB)

Heavenly Father,

Help me to be willing and obedient to love—in the same way that Christ has loved me.

Christ’s command is that I love others as He has loved me—so that the world can see His love demonstrated through me, and so You would be revealed in that love.

Christ loved through service—in humility, setting aside His divine nature.  So, I must also be willing to humble myself to serve others.

Christ loved through sacrifice—making the needs of others more important than His own life and death.  So, I must sacrifice my selfish desires to meet the needs of others.

Christ loved through instructing others with Truth and Grace—wrapping every lesson He gave to them in Your love.  So, I must walk that fine line of teaching Truth and showing Grace—at the same time—with Love as my only motivation.

Christ loved by bearing the pain of being misunderstood, reviled, falsely accused, and abused both verbally and physically—so that the greatest act of Love could be realized.  So, I must be willing to endure suffering, when Christ’s law of love requires it—as it leads to the greater good that comes when I have loved the way Christ loves.

Help me to be willing and obedient to love—in the same way that Christ has loved me.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.