Dear Heavenly Father:
There is so much to be grateful to you. You have done so much for me that I can understand why a psalmist said that in the light of all that you’ve done, they were glad. I am glad.
Father, I thought I knew what love was all about growing up in Wellingborough. The way my parents looked after me and my siblings, the sacrifices they made, the investment they made to the best of their ability – I thought that was love to a tee. I was grateful for the kindness of friends and others who would come along, but I thought that was love in its pinnacle. That love was also expressed in how my siblings engaged with me. Ruth and David have always been tremendous sources of consistent support.
I thought I knew what love was all about.
Then you let me in on what motivated the love of my parents. You gave me insight into how my siblings would maintain that loyalty in sometimes very challenging circumstances. Not just that, you showed me a love far greater.
You showed me how a Father betrayed still looked to restore His children. You showed me how a Husband with an adulterous wife, still looked to restore her. You showed me a love that forgave and restored. You showed me a love that patiently built and trusted despite the disdainful and disreputable behaviour. You did not show me that in the abstract and intellectual – you showed me that, because that’s the love you gave to me.
In as much as you expressed that love to me, so you assured me that I would be able to love others in the same way. You clearly showed how that love was experienced by others who operated that way. Brothers and sisters in Christ, filled with your Spirit, expressed in sharing their spiritual gifts, generous in their time for me, generous in their giving of whatever they had available to help lift me to seeing you and focusing on you alone.
For all you’ve done, Father, I acknowledge that I’m not always that loving. That sometimes I’m selfish, that sometimes I’m prone to bouts of self-indulgence and forget the love that set me free. Thank you for your patience and for the reminders that there is so much more to life than my pathetic selfish desires.
Teach me more how to love and I will follow you. I will do it, because I am grateful. Grateful for your love.
Receive this prayer and answer in your grace and wisdom as I wait on you.
Thank you, Father.
(Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash)
For Your Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 