Lord, You’ve given me a new day. And I can see that You’re up to good things in the world, because You’ve called Your people to love. You say to us, “Do to others what you’d have them do to you.” (Matthew 7:12) And I see that it’s good that You tell us this, because this world is an awry place and it fixes things when we respond out of love.

But, God, in and of myself, I don’t have love. I mean, I can be nice. I can be polite. I can put up a good front when people are around, but when it’s just You and me…well, You see. You see all the ugly on my insides. Seems I only love people when it’s convenient. When they don’t require too much of me. When it fits into my schedule. But, that’s not really love. Isn’t love made from sacrificial stuff? The kind that gives away, expecting nothing in return? The substance that aims to bless and be a blessing, even when there’s no applause, no praise, no affirming accolades? Ugh…I’m afraid I don’t have that kind of love. Not on my own. But, still You command it. You call me to love and I want to obey because I belong to You. Your love heals this broken world. I want to heal, too.

So, God, I give You my heart. Here it is. Would you open it up and pour from Your storehouses of love to fill me up? Would you make my heart overflow, so that I drip kindness and goodness? So that I spill out love? The kind that bends low and peers out gentle and smiles kind and does this over and over again to give grace to the world. Because this world is an awry place. But, we make things better here when we love. And I’m only here for a little while. So help me make things better, Lord.

God of Love. Help me love.

“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:8)