Matthew 7: 1 “Judge not, that you be not judged.”
Dear God,
You are a God of love, and You are filled with sorrow when I (we) turn from You and do bad things, even though all the while You continue to love us yearningly, for You want us to be in a relationship with You. One sided though that relationship must always be; because You are the God of infinite power, knowledge and ability, as well of untarnished purity; and we are sinful, created beings, of totally lesser power, knowledge and ability. To our finite mind it is mostly incomprehensible how great the love You have for each of us.
Very often, even though we think we love You devotedly, and always want to do Your will, our love can be shallow, opinionated and self-righteous, which can cause me (us) from interpreted lofty heights of right doing, to judge another, rather coldly, for some wrong doing. Jesus, who never sinned in His human body whilst on earth, is our example, for He loves all people despite their wrong doing, and all the time in love and compassion endeavours to turn each person around from their wrong doing and rebellion.
It is Your unreserved love of us in all circumstances, that wins our response, even if at first by a tenuous hope that it is really true; and as we accept You in repentance, and You turn us around, so we can learn to love, obey You and then we cannot refrain from being a witness to all Your needy children, no matter the circumstance.
Draw me close and forgive me for my unloving uncaring thoughts toward others, and turn me around, and again fill me with Your love, that cannot keep from loving others, and upholding them in prayer in all circumstances, remembering the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:2 “For with what judgement you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Thank You, dear Jesus for hearing my prayer to be filled with more love, and to be able to manifest Your way of dealing with any wrongs committed by another. It is good that the Holy Spirit brings balance back into my estimation of my own life, and reveals my own wrongs and then provides the desire and ability to make them right in confession, as well as overcome these sins and turn from them.
To my Saviour, Jesus, I sincerely give thanks for the promise in Matthew 7: 7, 8 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
With gratitude I believe Your promises and with joy I walk free from my confessed sins, with Your love and gift of the Holy Spirit within my heart; and my sinful self, clothed in Your righteousness over my own unrighteousness. Hallelujah, for today my soul feels light and soars toward the God of heaven!
Amen