This Monday morning, I offer up a prayer of thanksgiving to God, my father, and Jesus my savior. I invite you, Holy Spirit to invade me and give me renewed life, sensitivity, compassion, empathy, love, refreshment...
I love you God, and I know why---because you love me without condition, without judgement, without boundaries, limitations or qualifications---you have included me in your love because for you there is none who are immune or left out of the extraordinary capacity for love that you have for the beings that you created and called "good."
Lord, I believe so wholeheartedly that when you created man and woman, you created us for good out of an undying love to father a world of children. We were not born in "original sin"; instead, we were born in love, created in love, fashioned from the dust of the ground and the rib of man because of love. Therefore, teach me, allow me, woo me into living the life that is of love and because of love.
There are none excluded from your love. None born with a destiny apart from your presence...acknowledged or not.
Forgive my foolish ways, Lord, when I have lived in judgement of others, adhered to legalistic "rule following" instead of acting always in love, inclusion, acceptance--open arms, open heart.
Teach me to love well more and more each day. May my life be a testimony, not of a good person, but of a person who was born in love, because of love and lived a life of kindness an loving others.
When I fail, Lord, lift up my head. Remind me of your unconditional love
and infuse my spirit to return to love over and over again.
--LLD
What better teacher than your son Jesus. He was not pretentious. He did not exclude. He did not hang around with the rule-followers...the Pharisees. He lived a life of an open heart, and open mind, and outstretched arms to all who would come to him...He is that same epitome of love today.
Forgive me when I do exclude, when I judge, when I allow old patterns of legalism to rule my thoughts or guide my actions...help me when these oppressive thoughts try to take over and act as guide. They are not. I live not for the law. I live not for the letter of the law. I live as a law-abiding citizen, yes, but I, most importantly, live as a people-abiding woman of kindness and love.
When I fail, Lord, lift up my head. Remind me of your unconditional love and infuse my spirit to return to love over and over again.
For it is love that conquers all...not material possessions or money, not fame, not the "in crowd", not social media, or "one-ups", not jealousy or rage, not comparision or whoa-is-me... It is only love that abides along with faith and hope...but the greatest of these is love.
May I love well. Love long. Love with passion and purpose. May I love everyone without condition. Keep me away from qualifying my love, excluding, suspending love for following old rules and misspoken tapes.
Give me strength Lord. I want only to be a light...a light that draws others to you so that they may see you as the Almighty Father of Love...arms open, heads and heart cradled in your hand.
Love does, indeed, conquer all, and because of Jesus, we are gifted with the freedom to love, receive love and allow our cups to overflow with love in every level and stage of life.
It is to your glory and honor, that I praise you for the gift of Love---Love without condition. Love always conquers all.
Amen
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