This is my prayer

"And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best…for the glory and praise of God." Philippians 1:9-11

     Love is a necessity for the very young, the middle aged and very old. Without love, people fail to thrive and survive. Without it, we fail to live into our full human potential. With love, ordinary human beings are inspired to live heroic and extraordinary lives. Love is the best four-letter word I know, and I'll wager it is yours too.

     Whenever I struggle in prayer for others, this prayer by the apostle Paul often guides me. For who among us does not need more love? And prayer is one way to get more of it. Brother Roger of Taize has noted "prayer is not the privilege of a few. It is a reality easily accessible, for tiny children as for old men. It finds expression in innumerable ways."

     Paul is a great prayer master and his prayer can be yours as you pray for your friends, loved ones and beloved country. He shows us the way to intercede with holy boldness, asking God to literally give dear friends oceans of love. Without God's love, no one is complete. There is no saturation point with divinely inspired love. It is a direct gift from the Holy Spirit and empowers all the other spiritual gifts, such as wisdom, knowledge, spiritual power, endurance, longsuffering, joy, and gratitude.

     Divinely inspired love is intelligent and based on knowledge. Therefore, the one who loves is equipped with an amazing depth of insight using both heart and mind. This kind of love is very practical, having moral and ethical applications for daily life.

     Sometimes a person can love deeply, but without knowing what is helpful or harmful. Love without discernment can actually do more harm than good, misleading the gullible, the naïve and the foolish.

     But God's generous, unconditional and abundant love never travels alone, bringing divinely inspired knowledge. It is esthetically beautiful and judicious, discerning what is good and bad, unimportant and important. For God seekers and lovers of wisdom, this love is pure and blameless, without ulterior motives. It is like a precious metal without alloy or impurities, which always leads to the praise and glory of God. When this kind of love is combined with faith and hope, it is an unbeatable combination for every situation and circumstance.

     Whether you are very young, middle-aged, or very old, always pray for more love. Let God's love guide every step of your life. In doing so, your love will help Zimbabwe overcome many overwhelming problems.

     Prayer: Praise and glory to you, O God of Love. May love permeate my heart in abundance, to lovingly discern right and wrong, good and evil, the unimportant and important, with divinely inspired wisdom and knowledge. Amen.

Written by Rev. Dr. Sandy Bochonok
http://soulfoodministry.org
September 30, 2002
Permission is given to freely distribute this reflection throughout Zimbabwe.