Love and Prayer

Phil. 1:9-11

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Chris, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of Go.

 

The introduction to Philippians reveals a vital connection between love and prayer. Repeatedly Paul professed his deep love and concern for this body of believers: I thank my God in all my remembrance of you....It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart...For God is my witness how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ. This was not a love based in merely human emotion, but it was founded upon the affection of Christ. He loved them because of their partnership in the gospel from the first day until now...You all are partakers of grace, both in his imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. These believers received the gospel, embraced it, and allowed it to transform their lives. This response and commitment gave Paul great confidence that the God who begun this great work in them would continue to work until the day of His completion. What a blessing for Paul and what a blessing for the Philippians to hear!

 

It was out of this deep love that Paul's prayer was for them was shared with them. What a glorious idea to share a written prayer with those who are at a distance! First he prayed for their love to abound more and more. In essence never to stop growing! But this love was not just a shared feeling but one that was experienced in knowledge and discernment, a Spirit-taught and directed love. Secondly, he prayed that they would approve what was excellent and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ. How we need this! There are so many 'good' things that the world has to offer that believers often get sucked in without even realizing it. When the margins are completely filled with activities, no matter how good, where is the time for the excellent things? Believers must be forward thinking. Am I going to be pure and blameless if my margins are filled with the seemingly 'good' things of the world? Or am I trading in what is excellent for what is only good? Finally, he prayed that they would be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. This Spirit-grown fruit takes time as does all fruit bearing. Has our fast-paced way of life made us impatient to wait for the growth and maturation processes? Such a prayer as this, we need to pray for ourselves and for each other. Do we love our brothers and sisters in the Lord enough that we would be concerned for their spiritual welfare? Do we express that love to one another encouraging and edifying one another?

 

Father,

Make my heart receptive to this prayer. As I grow my love for You, may I love others as well. Renew my commitment to pray for what is truly excellent.

In His name,

Amen