I’m watching, first hand, the fierce love of a first time father for his helpless baby boy.
I’m reminded “How great is the love that Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God” (I John 3:1).
We pray to a Father whose love is limitless.
Hoped for.
Prayed for.
Conceived.
Loved.
Earth was Baby’s home
For just a little while
Mother’s womb
Now empty
But Baby lives.
Tears flow
Not for Baby
But for us
Baby lives.
Heaven is home.
I shall go to him, but he will not return to me (2 Samuel 12:23).
Unless you’re a grandma, I’ll never be able to communicate to you what this note means to me. “Dear Grandma who loves Emma, Emma loves Grandma.That’s it.”
But I can say that a simple prayer probably reaches the deepest parts of God’s heart. “Dear God who loves me, I love you. That’s it.”
“It is my prayer that your love may abound more and more . . . to the glory and praise of God (Philippians 1:9-11).”
Prayer produces love which brings God glory.
I cycled past four dads today:
One sprinted behind the jogger that held his infant daughter.
The second plodded slowly, pushing his toddler aged son.
Another followed behind two elementary aged children; all three rode like the wind.
The last rode beside his young daughter, patiently keeping pace with her.
I saw God’s Father-love:
He carries us when we’re young, small, weak.
He goes behind us, inspiring us.
He goes beside us as our Father-friend.
He always includes us.
I want to pray.
God is love and love bears all things (1 John 4:16; 1 Corinthians 13:7).
That means God covers, supports, and protects us from exposure, ridicule or harm.*
For this, we can pray with thanksgiving!
*adapted from John MacArthur, John MacArthur New Testament Commentary, 1 Corinthians, p.352
God is love and love is kind (1 John 4:16; 1 Corinthians 13:4).
Kindness is benevolent tenderness. It is helping with sympathy and consideration.
Because God is kind we can pray without fear.
God is love and love is patient (1 John 4:16; 1 Corinthians 13:4).
Patience is “self-restraint in the face of provocation which does not hastily retaliate or promptly punish.”*
Because God’s love is patient He answers our daily prayers for mercy.
*John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, 1 Corinthians, p.338.
A baby girl was born this week. She’s special to us. She’s our granddaughter. We love her very much.
We feel God’s love. How very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children (1 John 3:1).
His love gives me reason to pray.
I was making dinner when my daughter said to her daughter, “Let’s go wait for daddy.” Without saying a word, my granddaughter brought my shoes into the kitchen so I could come too.
Do I invite the Lord to come with me, wherever I go?
Isn’t that what love does?
If I invite him, do I include him in conversation?
That’s a way to pray all day.
A Blog on Prayer 