Song: ‘Before the world began’ Hillsong
Reading:
God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins… We love because he first loved us.
1 John 4.9-10, 19
Reflection:
It is so powerful that even when we didn’t know God and didn’t really care about God, He loved us. He doesn’t love us because we do things right or dislike us because we do things wrong. The revolution of His love for us is that it can’t be earned. He just loves us. It is a pure gift.
In the same way God loves us before we knew it, He works for all whether they know it or not. God is working in everyone’s life. Some people see it, some people don’t. God’s love acts for all – but what God wants more than anything is for us to recognise it and welcome it. The calling of Christians is to be those who point out how God is already at work in their lives; it is a calling to be channels, not creators of God’s love.
Activity: Using HALF of A5 piece of paper (use fire coloured paper i.e. orange, red, yellow OR colour whatever paper you have) and cut out a heart shape. On the front write the theme for the day.
Place the heart in front of you around the large heart shape and pray for the day ahead. Thank God for the day ahead. Pray for yourself, your family & friends, colleagues and neighbours, those on the frontline, those struggling, ill, grieving. And use the pray for today:
Prayer:
Loving God, thank You that before we loved You, You loved us first. We recognise Your love for us today and choose to love You too. Thank You for my friends. Please open my friends’ eyes to Your love and action for them.
Action:
It is easy to take people for granted. Are there ways today that you can demonstrate to those you are praying for how grateful you are for them being in your life?
Use the back of the love heart you created to jot down your answer.
The full version of the “Thy Kingdom Come” Prayer Journal 2020 can be viewed here: www.thykingdomcome.global/sites/PrayerJournal2020
