Friday March 11, 2022

Today is Friday, March 11 and this week we are exploring what the Bible says about the nature of God.

As I begin this time of prayer, I pause and become still. I breathe slowly and deeply and focus myself entirely upon the triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Pause and Pray

Holy and Loving God, I worship you in the stillness of this new day with a grateful heart. I stand in awe and wonder of your glory and goodness. Speak to me through the power of your Holy Spirit and help me learn to hear your voice above all others. Amen.

I rejoice in God’s nearness and praise him with the words of Psalm 145.

The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. Psalm 145:17-20

Pause and Pray

This week we have been exploring the nature of God. Twentieth century English philosopher and renowned atheist, Bertrand Russell in his book Why I am Not A Christian said that God is fear. He understood the Christian religion to be based primarily and mainly upon fear. That God is a god of fear. The gospel message tells humanity just the opposite, that God is love. Love and fear cannot coexist. Perfect love casts out fear (1John 4:18). If I want to understand the basic nature of God, the entire biblical witness from start to finish says God is love. This love is celebrated in the first of the Johannine epistles.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:7-12

Love comes from God. God showed his love for me and sent his one and only Son into the world so that I might live through him. This is love, John explains. He first loved me and sent his Son Jesus Christ as an atoning sacrifice for my endless and numerous sins. God’s love becomes my love. Because God first loved me, I return that love to God and others. This seems to be the litmus test the scriptures use to evaluate me – do I love others or not? If I do not love others, I do not know God. If I do love others, John claims the evidence is as follows – I have been born of God, I know God, God lives in me and his love is made complete in me. John Wesley, the eighteenth century founder of the Methodist movement, taught that the Holy Spirit provides sanctifying grace that enables me to grow in love over my lifetime. That my love for God and others will mature and be made complete. I am invited to live a life of love.

Ask: How might I cooperate with the Holy Spirit and grow in love for God and others? What are things I do which might impede the work of love God wants to do in me?

Pause and Pray

Holy Lord God, thank you for loving me so much that you sent Jesus as an atoning sacrifice for my sin that I might live through him. Forgive me when my love is weak and ineffectual. I pray that as your Spirit lives in me your love will be made complete. Spur me on to love and good deeds through your sanctifying grace. Let me love others because you are love. I read the words from John’s first epistle again and listen for the message you have for me.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:7-12

Ask: What image, word or phrase stands out to me when I slowly read this passage? What is God trying to say to me through these words of scripture?

Pause and Pray

Today I consider where my love is lacking and insufficient and where my love is growing and expanding. Perhaps my love for God is increasing and if so, I reflect on indications of that. Maybe I have noticed my love for certain people has been broadening or diminishing lately. I consider what God might want to tell me about that. If I find my love has been inadequate, I am reminded I can request God to increase my love in that area. God will supply the love I need for the difficult person, the problem child, the challenging spouse, the disappointing colleague, the spiteful friend, even my enemy. Whoever in my life is hard to love – God can fill up my love reservoir. Whatever word stands out to me from this scripture passage, I take it with me throughout my day and hope to understand more about God’s great love.

Pause and Pray

Come, Holy Spirit, come into my heart and life, chip away the icy cold places of my soul, heal the wounds of the past, repair the brokenness of my dreams, restore the meagerness of spirit, bind up my hurts, relieve my grief and fill me with your love. Enable me to comprehend God’s great love for me in such a way that his love overflows within my soul and burgeons out in kindness for others. Amen.

He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.” Exodus 34:6-7a

As I leave this time of prayer, I go to love God and love others in the name of Jesus Christ my Lord.

Amen.