Today I've been reading in Philippians chapter 1. This is a thank you letter written by Paul to the Philippians, thanking them for their support. It's made me think about my own life, including my thank you letters and my prayer life.
Verses 3 and 4 state, "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you. In every prayer of mine I always make my entreaty and petition for you with all joy (delight)." I can look at these verses from two different perspectives. First, am I living my life such that those around me could say this about me? Can they remember me with all joy? Second, am I upholding and encouraging those around me in a similar way? What do my thank you letters look like? Can I write them in such a way that I encourage and strengthen the faith of those who receive them? And am I praying for them with all joy and delight?
For some time now, in my prayer life I've recognized the importance of thanking God for His gifts to me and His love for me, rather than just praying "wish list" prayers (though I can forget even this). But what about my prayers for others? I realize that mostly my prayers for others have just been a general "God bless so and so" or prayers for specific needs of which I am aware. Seldom have I been thanking God in remembrances of others or petitioning for them with all joy and delight. It's about time I start!
Father, I am so grateful for your love for me and your gentle leading in my life. Thank you for recent miracles with regard to freedom from overeating and willingness to make healthy food choices, and for your continued work in my life in this regard. And I'm SO grateful for the people who have shared their lives with me. I thank you for the work you are doing in their lives and the miracles we are seeing. You know each one that I am thinking of in this moment. I gratefully ask your continued healing for them - physically, emotionally, and spiritually. As verses 9-11 state, may their love abound more and more, extending to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight. May they sense what is vital and prize what is excellent and of real value and may they be untainted and pure and abound in and be filled with the fruits of righteousness. (And me too, Father! May this be true in me as well.) Thank you, Father for my friends and family and your continued work in my life and theirs! Amen.
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This blog is simply a sharing of my "daily bread" - my daily walk with God. If something I've said has touched your heart, or sparked a new thought, I'd love to hear from you.