The Prayer We Need

Boy, do I need this verse today.

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more,

with knowledge and discernment. 

Philippians 1:9

I don't just need it as a nice Bible verse.  I need it as a prayer.  I need abounding love.  Because there are days, let's face it, when I'm not feeling it.

Whether it's Bill, or one of kids, or seven of the kids, or someone who just doesn't "get" me, sometimes I'm just not feeling the love. So I need this prayer.

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more,

with knowledge and discernment. 

Philippians 1:9

I need abounding love.

Abounding love.

Love that is overflowing, and keeps on overflowing.  Abundant abounding love.

I need love that's not based upon anyone's performance, perception, or any magical happy place that I dream up, but love that is rooted in real knowledge, real discernment.

This is thinking love.

This isn't don't worry, be happy love.  (Thank you very much, Bobby McFerrin.) This is love that is precise, accurate, and based upon reality.  This is thinking love.

This is love that doesn't shy away from the very hard things of life, but names them for what they are, and chooses to love anyway.  This is love that counts the cost and chooses to love anyway.

This love, this is agape love.

Are you feeling the weight of this?  Because I am.

Overflowing agape love in the middle of hard, hard stuff.

Amy Carmichael was a missionary in India.  Long before human trafficking was a popular issue, she was rescuing girls from temple prostitution.  In her book, Candles in the Dark, she wrote,

"A cup brimful of sweetness cannot spill even one drop of bitter water, 

no matter how suddenly jarred."

Too often, I spill out bitter water.  And I know that this is evidence of the state of my heart.  When this happens, when the very hard things of life reveal a lack of abounding agape love, the only thing I know to do is press hard into Jesus.

Jesus is the living water.  When I press into him, when I send my roots down deep at the riverside, something amazing happens.  My heart is transformed from a cesspool of stagnant water to a wellspring of life.

And there is

• no bill that can come in the mail,
• no fight that any children can have,
• no traffic that makes me late,
• no pink slip that arrives on my desk,
• no diagnosis that my doctor delivers,
• no math homework that drives me over the edge, and  
• no stress at all that can turn a wellspring of sweet water into bitter.  

In the heat of the moment, what does this look like?  This sending your roots down deep.  Pause, pray, and slow things down.  Take some time if you need to.  Escape to the bathroom.  Go for a walk.  Put on a video and tend to your soul.  Because you know what, you need it.  I need it.  

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more,

with knowledge and discernment. 

Philippians 1:9

If you can relate ... if you find yourself needing overflowing agape love in the middle of hard, hard stuff, let me know.  Just leave a comment saying, "Cindy, I need it."  And I'll pray for you.  You can leave more if you want.  Or you can email me, cynthiafin@gmail.com, with details.  But if you just say, "Cindy, I need it," I will pray for you.

that your love may abound more and more,

with knowledge and discernment.

And, I'd love it if you'd pray for me too! 

We are at the riverside.  Last week we began gathering at the riverside with a verse-by-verse walk through Philippians.  If you're just joining today, WELCOME!  You are in a safe place, and I'm so glad you're here.  If you like what you're reading, I would love it if you would subscribe by typing in your email address in the box up and to the right.  I'd also love it if you'd share with your friends and invite them to join us at the riverside.