Prayer To Love And Give Ourselves To The Right Things

LOVING AND GIVING OURSELVES TO THE RIGHT THINGS

We read interesting and challenging words again today as we listen to Jesus’ beloved friend John teach early believers.  They are so relevant to all of us today, it seems to me:

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.  1 John 2:15-17

How do we even begin to do this?  Only God at work in us can make this happen and that’s why we pray today, as we do every day, that God would work out His will in us so we do what pleases Him.

Heavenly Father,  we confess that far too often we love the things the world offers and are more concerned about the environment and politics, and even this pandemic, than we are about knowing You and loving You and following You.  Forgive us for the many distractions we follow.  Sometimes that is a desire for this or that pleasure and at other times it’s the obsession with our own achievements or earning a certain amount of money or getting this or that possession. 

While we want to work hard and to enjoy the blessings that You send our way, we don’t want to be distracted by them and make the pursuit of them the first focus of who we are and what we do from day to day.  It’s so easy to make our daily responsibilities  the first priority and leave the basics of taking time to know You and spend time with You on the back burner. 

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”    Matthew 28:18-20

You told us that our first activity outside of loving you and others was to go into all the world and preach the gospel and make disciples.  We don’t do that much, it seems.  We’re afraid of offending others, we don’t feel like we know enough, or we just don’t feel like we have time. Forgive us God and help us even today to do one thing that is solely for furthering the message of the Gospel, of communicating with one friend or family member, of supporting one mission or other that is taking the good news of the gospel around the world.  Even in these moments, in this hour, would You help us take one action for the sake of the gospel. 

This world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.    1 John 2:17

Particularly in these difficult days of the pandemic and the upheaval across the globe, we want to let the things that are fading away be in the background of our lives and live for the things that will last forever.  There’s no government nor any economy that is going to last forever but only Your kingdom God.  Help us to invest in Your kingdom today first and then follow whatever else You show us to engage with today.

We pray today the familiar words You taught us to pray, Jesus,

Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed by Your name.  Your kingdom come.  Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.  For Your’s is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen