Find a quiet time and place to pray... take a few deep breaths... be still and know that God is near...A word to reflect on:
Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails... 1 Corinthians 13
If you've ever been to a wedding, you've heard these words which are loved not only by the brides and groom who choose them but by their guests as well, regardless of how many times they've heard this text. Of course, St. Paul wasn't writing for a wedding here but rather to the church gathered in Corinth. These words call a whole people to a particular way of love and call each of us to live, to be this same love.
Below is another take on this same scripture. In the blank spaces, simply insert your own name. Spend some reflective time with each line... Weigh each line in your mind and heart... Be neither quick to judge yourself as less than loving nor slow to thank God for the love that you do indeed share with others... Let Paul's words offer a personal inventory, an examination of conscience, to see as honestly possible if such great love is more than just a verse on a Hallmark card but rather the love by which our lives are shaped and with which we reach out to others...
_______ is patient...
_______ is kind...
_______ is not jealous...
_______ is not pompous, not inflated, not rude...
_______ does not seek his/her own interests...
_______ is not quick-tempered...
_______ does not brood over injury...
_______ does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth...
_______ bears all things...
_______ believes all things...
_______ hopes all things...
_______ endures all things...
_______ never fails...
But I do fail, Lord...
I fail in loving as you call me to love...
I fail in loving as I am loved...
In the stillness of my prayer, in these 10 minutes of quiet,
help me remember how you love me and all your people
and help me to love as you love:
freely, fully and with forgiveness...
Help me to see were my love is true and self-giving
and help me see where I am selfish and less than loving...
Strengthen the love already in my heart
and deepen my heart to grow in that love which bears all things,
believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things...
Fill my heart with love that does not fail,
that I not fail in loving you
and loving those whose paths cross mine this day...
Here are some tips for praying 10 minutes a day and a link to the Lenten series from which these daily posts originated. If you find these daily prayer reminders helpful, please let me know - and share them with others. You'll find an archive of these daily posts here.Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails... 1 Corinthians 13
If you've ever been to a wedding, you've heard these words which are loved not only by the brides and groom who choose them but by their guests as well, regardless of how many times they've heard this text. Of course, St. Paul wasn't writing for a wedding here but rather to the church gathered in Corinth. These words call a whole people to a particular way of love and call each of us to live, to be this same love.
Below is another take on this same scripture. In the blank spaces, simply insert your own name. Spend some reflective time with each line... Weigh each line in your mind and heart... Be neither quick to judge yourself as less than loving nor slow to thank God for the love that you do indeed share with others... Let Paul's words offer a personal inventory, an examination of conscience, to see as honestly possible if such great love is more than just a verse on a Hallmark card but rather the love by which our lives are shaped and with which we reach out to others...
_______ is patient...
_______ is kind...
_______ is not jealous...
_______ is not pompous, not inflated, not rude...
_______ does not seek his/her own interests...
_______ is not quick-tempered...
_______ does not brood over injury...
_______ does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth...
_______ bears all things...
_______ believes all things...
_______ hopes all things...
_______ endures all things...
_______ never fails...
But I do fail, Lord...
I fail in loving as you call me to love...
I fail in loving as I am loved...
In the stillness of my prayer, in these 10 minutes of quiet,
help me remember how you love me and all your people
and help me to love as you love:
freely, fully and with forgiveness...
Help me to see were my love is true and self-giving
and help me see where I am selfish and less than loving...
Strengthen the love already in my heart
and deepen my heart to grow in that love which bears all things,
believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things...
Fill my heart with love that does not fail,
that I not fail in loving you
and loving those whose paths cross mine this day...
Tweet
Subscribe to A Concord Pastor Comments
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please THINK before you write
and PRAY before you think!