Dear God,
You truly are my strength and stay. Please grow me in Your love, so that I more often look away from my own enjoyable projects and activities at home, and focus on my activities for You and others. Once again I dedicate my talks to You on my blog, to be tutored and led in a way that will touch others. I now realize this is Your blessing to me first, and then others, and the time it takes is my sacrifice to You.
Matthew 5, today I have read parts of this wonderful chapter, which outlines how we can and should imitate the love of Jesus toward others in every interaction. Matthew 5: 44 “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you, and persecute you.” To do good for another in the face of personal injustice or attack, is truly the gospel and way of Jesus, because He lives in our heart, and we allow His ways to be expressed. It is easy to love those who love us. There is however a challenge to love someone who treats us unfairly, deceitfully or works to do us harm. Again Jesus offers His strength for us to be able to love others and turn the other cheek. Matthew 5: 48 “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Jesus does not ask anything unless we are given the enabling, over time, as we keep clinging on to His words.
Ephesians 5: 1, 2 “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. Walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” Walk in love as Christ also loved us and gave Himself for us, as an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweet smelling aroma. I am so glad our life given to Jesus in obedient sacrificial love, and the giving of our time and resources, is as a sweet smelling aroma to You, our God.
I ask You Jesus to continue to change my heart and take away the urge to do and do so many things away from You. Please be my strength and desire to do all that is Your will for me.
I pray your richest blessings for all who read this prayer.