Prayer Welcoming The Love Of God To Fill My Heart Again Today

We spoke yesterday about the challenge to feeling of belonging and the loneliness that can result.  I want to add a few more words to that and just let the love that God has for us settle deep into our souls.

Three of the most comforting, encouraging, and life-giving words in the English language are, "I love you".  Spoken from a sincere heart, these three little words carry a tenderness and strength that will fill a lonely heart and bring a smile to a sad face. 

These are words that come from the hearts of loving parents when they see their new baby.  They are whispered in the ear of someone frail as they lie on a hospital bed.  They are words spoken with chocolates to a special someone, or perhaps with a "knowing gaze" shared across a room between partners in a caring marriage.  They are words that every human longs to hear over and over again. 

God wants us to hear Him tenderly tell us today and every day, “I love you.” These words bring healing and peace to every part of us as we just that truth soak into us.

Anyone who reads God’s word in the Bible, finds that it repeatedly tells us of God’s unfailing and unconditional love for us.  As we pray with a quiet heart and listen, we will hear God’s voice echoing in our ears “I love you”.  Let’s listen for those lovely words personally spoken to us as we pray together today.

We begin with this prayer from Saint Paul 2000 years ago that we would all know God’s love better and better:

I pray that your love will have deep roots. I pray that it will have a strong foundation.  May you have power together with all the Lord’s holy people to understand Christ’s love. May you know how wide and long and high and deep it is.  And may you know his love, even though it can’t be known completely. Then you will be filled with everything God has for you.  Ephesians 3:17-19

Loving God, We cannot begin to find words to describe the all-encompassing, tender love that You continue to pour out on us.  On this ordinary Saturday we remind ourselves that Your love is available to us.  Your, the Creator of the universe are pouring out generous love for us.  You stand with arms wide open welcoming us to come close to You and to be embraced by You today. 

How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 36:7

Those are not just words for someone else but they are for us today.  We take shelter in the shadow of Your wings today, finding rest and peace in Your unfailing love.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:3-5

We’ve had had lots of problems and trials in these months of the pandemic, Lord, and today we want to keep our hope firmly rooted in Your love that will not disappoint us.  Thank you for Your Holy Spirit who lives in us and who is once again filling our hearts with Your love.  We receive all the love and kindness that You are pouring into us.

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect.  1 John 4:16-17a

Help us to grow in how well we know we are loved by You, God.  We want to grow and flourish as You intended.  We put our trust in Your love.  We choose to live in that love today and to observe, with thanks, as our love grows more perfect.  Amen

I want to end today with words of affirmation that we’ve said for years in gatherings where people were finding life again with God:

I am loved by God always.  I am loved without condition.  My life is of great beauty and infinite value.  God has a plan for my life that is meaningful, purposeful, and joyful.  There is a work for me to do today that will bless others and give me deep satisfaction. God is always with me.  I need never face my problems alone.  Together with God, any difficulty can be worked out and overcome.