A Prayer for Love

In a time when people all around the world are known more for being judgmental, having critical assertions that they have to make widely known, and being strongly opinionated, especially online – It would appear that social media has exasperated this issue especially amongst our young people polarising and radicalising them.

But they are not alone, it has impacted people of all ages and stages, and at all levels of society according to an article I read recently entitled “Social media polarises and radicalises” – Therefore I am reminded of the need to pray for love.

The worrying aspect is that all to often Christians, and even churches are more widely known for what they disagree with, and many tragically viciously critique and spread gossip and negativity all with the intent to share ‘The Truth‘, without ever really taking stock of how their words and actions don’t match the expectations placed upon us by Jesus in numerous interactions with people who did not believe as He did.

Jesus’ approach was not to get into a debate or point out the failings of the other person – He loved them regardless! The most obvious example is found in the story of the woman caught in adultery where he shows love and compassion (refer to John 8:1-11).

Another example is found in the story of the woman at the well (refer to John 4:1-42), and although this time he does share in some dialogue with the woman it is through his love and compassion towards her that she is introduced to Him as ‘The Lord’.

This interaction not only impacts her life, but also those of her whole community. And this message of ‘loving others’ regardless is repeated time and time again in the letters to the various churches that formed after Jesus’ ascension. We should not be so judgemental.

“You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things.” (Romans 2:1 NLT)   

The Old Testament also reminds us that it is much better for us to keep our opinions to ourselves, taking them to the Lord our God and ascertaining if there’s anything in our lives that we need to work on so that we can show love instead of being opinionated, critical and or judgemental.   

“The church must be willing to travel outside the traditional boundaries of acceptance. Embracing Jesus’ radical ethic of love and being an open community.” (New Beacon Bible Commentary)

The following prayer “A Prayer for Love” was originally posted by the Operando Association – which is a voluntary, independent, non-profit organization, whose mission is financial and voluntary assistance to the most vulnerable individuals and groups, promoting charity and mutual help.

“Lord, I ask you to send the Holy Spirit into the hearts of people all over the world and to fill us with love. Touch us when we work, sleep, eat, whenever we are alone or in a company.

Fill us with your power to live and work only for good. Let us become executors and witnesses of your Love, wherever we are. 

Let your Spirit burn within us and pour out on us love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and self-control (Gal. 22: 2-3).

If ever, we need Your love now. Give us the knowledge and grace to see in each other a sibling – not a rival or an enemy. Someone who needs our love and compassion, but also someone who will help us become more and more human, compassionate, secure, mature, wise, and capable of relationships.

God the Father, you created each of us out of your love. May this awareness never disappear from our sight, especially when we are at the edge of our capabilities and can only see ourselves. Then give us the strength to be able to open our hearts and invite You to work through us. 

Lord, teach us to share in love all we have with others. May this “muscle” of solidarity and goodness be strengthened every day. 

Let us not make excuses for our helplessness, but trust in your provision and see that you always take care of us – at the right time. 

Lord, let us be aware of our uniqueness – that we are made after Your inspiration. Let us learn to look at people of other races and nations with your fatherly eyes. 

Let it remove from us all the feelings of insecurity and inferiority that arise from self-serving. Give us the grace to unconditionally accept each other as brother and sister, for you created us to enrich one another and not to rob, enslave, and kill. 

Lord, connect us, and above all, remove from our world everything that is not good and worthy of You. Weave new bonds of love and brotherhood between us.

Lord, grant that we may be kind and merciful to one another, that we may be able to forgive, just as you, Father, always graciously forgive us in Jesus Christ. 

Amen.”

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Random Acts of Kindness Day

Tomorrow (1 September) is Random Acts of Kindness Day (RAK Day) in New Zealand.

We need it more than ever in 2020!

The first national RAK Day started in 2005 and it’s been amazing how New Zealand has not only been the only country in the world to have a national Random Acts of Kindness Day, but Kiwis have embraced it in every corner of the country!

One kind word or act can change someone’s whole day, and tomorrow is a great chance to see that being kind is also amazing for your mental health.

The aim of RAK Day is to raise the kindness temperature in New Zealand and you can do that by letting someone ahead of you in traffic, complimenting a stranger or bringing baked goods to the office, we hope you take some time tomorrow to bring some sunshine into the lives of others!

Check out the image for some additional suggestions on how you can show kindness to others in your setting, or come up with some ideas of your own.

 

As Christians this is something that we should all willingly want to get behind – So that others can know that their are people out there who do care for them, appreciate them and want to express love in some small measure through their actions and words love and kindness towards them.

So, what will you do to show love and kindness to a complete stranger? How can you encourage and build up others so that we can each bring “life and hope” to all those that we meet?

This can be a form of evangelism and outreach as we exhibit God’s radical love to the world – by being the change that we want to see 🙂

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Self Denial Appeal 2020 – Love Beyond

The Salvation Army founder William Booth always understood that God’s love was to be offered to others; that people in real despair need real hope.

And real hope is realised through love-filled, practical action.

In 1886, Booth called Salvationists to give sacrificially, to deny themselves so that they could offer God’s love to a hurting world.

 

So as Salvationists, we give generously to the Self Denial Appeal knowing that our sacrificial giving changes the world because love changes lives.

Last years Self Denial Appeal raised over $1 million across the New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory for the work of The Salvation Army in developing countries. This great result means people’s lives are being transformed through the love of Jesus and the work of The Salvation Army in developing countries.

This year’s Self Denial Appeal theme of ‘Love Beyond’ is captured in the stories of transformation from eSwatini, Papua New Guinea, Myanmar and Greenland.  We will see a different story each week around the theme using the Scripture 1 John 4:11–21.

The official launch date of the Self Denial Appeal 2020 within the New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory is 19 July, and will follow the usual six-week format concluding with the Altar Appeal on Sunday 23 August.

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