I really enjoyed an online Valentine’s Party that we had with our Junior Church families last Saturday. We decorated cupcakes and made cards with the intention of sharing them and allowing these expressions of kindness to result in people feeling loved and cared about. We talked about the words of Jesus when he said, “Love one another as I have loved you.” (John 13:35) Many of us have been praying with concern about the situations of protest that we see across our country. There is very legitimate concern about where this will go and what the outcome will be. I talked with the children on Saturday about creating a “Convoy of Kindness.” It can start with simple acts of kindness and care. Every one of us can respond to Jesus’ instruction to love each other as He loves us. This truly has life changing potential. What if we pray that God will inspire us to make the most of every opportunity to show kindness and love? This really can transform the tone of conversations and the attitudes that result in increased tension and distress. If you are wondering what you can do that will help the state of our world, then I encourage you to pray along with me that we will be led to make ourselves available to love as Jesus loves. This intentional “Convoy of Kindness” can draw attention to Jesus and focus all of us on creative ways to bring His love to any and every circumstance. When the love of Jesus is displayed, people will notice and that will be a demonstration that will have far reaching effect. You can become part of this “Convoy of Kindness” when we take time today February 16th at 1 pm for our WEDNESDAY PRAYER TOGETHER.
Looking expectantly for the ways that our prayers will inspire us to love as Jesus loves, Pastor Lola
Our God of love, in these moments we give thanks for the extreme generosity of Your love for us. Thank You that we can know with certainty that You love us and care about us. We know that it was because You loved our world so much that You sent Your Son Jesus to show us the depth of Your love. The love of Your Son Jesus has become for us the example of how we are to love. We do believe in Jesus and as a result have the assurance of everlasting life. We want to pray that the choices we make and the way that we love will result in others knowing You and believing in You too. As we think about one of the qualities of love being kindness, we wonder how our kindness can best covey Your love for others. How do you want us to join in a “Convoy of Kindness” that will impact people around us to discover Who You are and the depth of Your love for them. We want to be looking actively for the places where kindness can change people’s outlook. It seems that in many cases people have come to expect that things will only get worse. Show us God in the midst of what we are experiencing what are Your plans for good. Please allow us to see how the living out of Your love can shift the direction that things are headed. We come together now to continue to pray for peaceful resolution of these protests and demonstrations. We do pray for extraordinary wisdom for those in leadership and those with authority to work toward these resolutions. For all of us, we pray for the willingness to listen carefully to each other and to seek to understand each other. When we do not understand or do not agree, we still pray for love in our attitudes and in our approach to each other. Where and how our God can kindness be shown? What insights will You provide that will help us to offer kindness in ways that will promote Your love and grace? How will we need to move beyond focusing on ourselves and our preferences in order to love as Jesus loves? We anticipate loving God that You can and will use each of us to love our world back to where You intend. Thank You God that we can be the means of helping people to define love as You define love. Thank You that Your Divine strategies for loving can become ours. God, in Your holy ways, we pray that peace will begin with each of us deciding to be instruments of peace filled kindness and love. Here and now we commit ourselves to be Your ambassadors of loving kindness in a widespread way that will cause people to know that we belong to You. And may this bring glory to You, we pray, in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.