Love

Love All Around

Beautiful Lord,

open my eyes

to see your love all around,

ocean swells buoying me up,

lifting and carrying me

through the flotsam and jetsam of the day.

Thank you for the all the ways you love me

that I don’t even know,

I’m not even aware of,

help me to never take you for granted.

Pierce through the veil

and let me see beyond

that I may perceive your reflection

in the one standing in front of me,

those all around me,

that your love wouldn’t stop with me,

but would catch fire,

and grow and grow,

that a bonfire of praise would arise

from all around,

all the way up to the heavens

and bless your heart.

I praise you Lord.

Amen.

Unchanging Love

Lord,

thank you for your eternal, unfailing love.

When I succeed in some endeavors,

and stumble and fail in more,

thank you for your love for me.

When I’m happy, secure, and confident,

when I’m discouraged, sad, and timid,

thank you for your love for me.

When I’m praying, reading your Word, and soaring in spirit,

when I’m exhausted, dull in my flesh, and rebellious,

thank you for your love for me.

When I’m believing, full of faith, and victorious,

when I’m fearful, anxious, and distrusting,

thank you for your love for me.

When some accept me,

and others reject me,

thank you for your love for me.

Whether the sun is shining and the sky is bright,

or darkness comes with storms and clouds,

thank you that your love for me never changes.

Lord, I am up one moment,

down the next,

limited, temperamental, capricious, and fickle.

You are my rock,

your love my anchor,

your grace and mercy

a refuge and respite

from the world and from me.

Thank you that your love never depended on me,

you love because you are love,

please give me the grace,

to delve into the heights, lengths,

widths, and depths of your love,

to never be familiar and always in awe of you,

seeking, open, wondering,

asking, knocking, trusting

expectant in faith and hope

of knowing you more.

I need you and I love you Lord.

Amen.

Happy And Content

Lord,

help me to be present,

taking a moment,

catching a breath,

to remember you’re with me,

and be aware of your Spirit,

knowing I’m loved,

not by what I do,

but by all you’ve done.

Let me be content,

letting go of perfect,

leaning in, being ok,

and making peace with broken places,

letting your light,

your comfort shine through.

Let me serve you rightly,

pursuing you,

living to please you,

with joy, gratitude, and overflow,

simply as me,

no false burdens, guilt, or expectations,

exactly where I’m at…

with my few loaves and fishes,

offering back my gifts to you,

taking care of my small garden plot,

being faithful and diligent

in the small things…

they count, they matter,

trusting you,

sinking into your grace,

knowing you’re sufficient,

happy that with you,

I lack no good thing.

Let my heart be at peace,

giving life to my body,

joyfully giving my life for you.

Amen.

This Is Love

Abba,

thank you for sending your Son,

giving Him up

to die for me.

This is love,

your suffering,

His atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world.

You have given me salvation, freedom, and hope.

Let me walk through my day

ever remembering your love’s cost,

knowing you’re intimate with my suffering,

and that your love,

how high, long, wide, and deep it is

to enjoy and delight in,

that overwhelms, comforts, and transforms me.

Abba, you know me,

you understand me,

I am your beloved,

and it is well with my soul.

Thank you Abba.

Amen.

Love Like You

Lord,

would you teach me how to love,

to peer into a soul

and see what you see,

having compassion,

unconditional acceptance

for a history I don’t see,

suffering I can’t understand,

to let go of my judgement

and lean my head on your heartbeat,

to be patient, kind, and gentle,

soft against harsh edges,

gracious toward prickly spines,

can you give me a new grace

to interact with others,

an anointing to speak words

that bring life and healing,

an empowerment and strengthening

a fresh infusion of your Spirit

to wait, give space, choice, freedom,

the honoring and dignifying,

that you have done for me

in my shame,

believing, hoping

for your best in others,

trusting that your love

is more powerful than anything in the world.

Let me love like you Lord,

remembering your love

has transformed me.

I bless you Lord.

Amen.

Love Like You

Abba,

holy and righteous,

powerful and awesome,

I remember love

that you loved us

and sent your Son,

crushed Him to be the satisfying offering

for all the sins of the world.

Without you Lord, I’m nothing,

a skeleton of failures, brokenness, and selfishnes

resurrected to spirit and life only by your power.

Empower me by your Spirit and life,

bring your strength to the end of my strength

let me walk in your light,

decreeing my righteousness bought by your blood,

shaming the enemy’s whispers and lies,

exalting you, all that you’ve done

by my being and words

that I may be a faithful witness unto you —

let your heartbeat and life beat through mine,

enable me to arise,

a force of your grace

ablaze in holiness and righteousness,

to be different and other,

salt and light,

that you would draw many to you,

imbue me with your supernatural love

to love as you do,

loving my brother and sister,

loving my enemies

that the world would see you.

Lord, you alone are worthy,

and I pray that my life would glorify you.

Amen.