A Prayer About Loving from the Heart
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 1 Peter 1:22-23
DearLord Jesus, as songs of Advent provide the sonic aroma of my early morning quiet time, I’m irresistibly drawn to you as the One who fulfills this, and every other Scripture. It’s only because you came into the world for me that I have the slightest clue about what sincere love looks like. It’s only because you lived for me and died for me that I have any experience of being loved deeply from the heart… your heart!
Be still my soul and marinate in this good news, this gospel: Oh joy beyond all delightings, oh peace beyond all understandings, oh hope beyond all imaginings… Jesus loves you deeply from his heart, and there’s nothing you can do about it. You cannot add to his love for you and you cannot diminish his love for you. You can simply enjoy it, be changed by it, and share it with others…
Indeed, Lord Jesus, I could have never purified myself through purgings, penance and promises of doing more and trying harder. What religion and non-religion could never do for me, you have done for me, and in me. It’s only because I was born from above, born a second time, that I’ve been given grace to see the truth of the gospel, believe the truth of the gospel and obey the truth of the gospel…
“Born that man no more may die… Born to raise the sons of earth… Born to give them second birth… Hark! The herald angels sing “Glory to the newborn King!”
So as I celebrate your incarnation, once again, Lord Jesus, I surrender to its implications, I surrender to you. Love in me and love through me. There is no other way. Make my love for the “brethren” sincere. Teach me how to love deeply from my heart… from your heart for me. I’m tired of my excuses, exceptions and explanations. So very Amen, I pray, in your holy and loving name.
