I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus
Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to
God for me.(Romans 15:30 NIV)
“God only requires of His adult children,
that their hearts be truly purified, and that they offer Him continually the
wishes and vows that naturally spring from perfect love. For these desires,
being the genuine fruits of love, are the most perfect prayers that can spring
from it.” - John Wesley
When a mother prays for her child’s boo-boo to be healed,
what motivates her? Love. When a grandmother cries out for her grandson to be
saved, what drives her? Love. When Jesus walked up into the hills to pray all
night, what motivated Him? His love for His Father. When a man prays for his
wife to be healed of cancer, what is his motivation? Love. When Jesus stands in
front of the throne room of heaven, petitioning the Father on your behalf, why
does He do it? Because He loves you. When a pastor prays for the members of his
congregation, what is his reason for praying? His love for people. When Jesus asked
God to forgive those who crucified Him, what compelled Him? His love.
Prayer is inherently an act of love. You pray because you
care. You demonstrate your love for the person for whom you are praying. She
may be a thousand miles away, or you may not have spoken to her in a long time,
but your prayers cross the distance and time and make a difference in her life.
When you pray, you also demonstrate your love for God. By
asking for His assistance, you demonstrate your trust, your confidence, and
your belief in Him. And when God answers your prayers, He does so out of His
great love for you.
Love is the reason that initiates our prayers, and love
is the force that provides an answer to our prayers. Love should be the motivation
behind all our prayers. We pray to God because we love Him, we pray for others
because we love them, and God answers our prayers because He loves us. Love is
the secret behind a great prayer life!
To quote John Calvin, “Our prayer must not be
self-centered. It must arise not only because we feel our own need as a burden
we must lay upon God, but also because we are so bound up in love for our
fellow men that we feel their need as acutely as our own. To make intercession
for men is the most powerful and practical way in which we can express our love
for them.”
So if you find yourself thinking of a loved one today,
remember to lift him or her up in prayer. Let the love of God flow through you
as you take time to stand in the gap on behalf of family and friends. When you
pray from a heart of love, God will use you as a vehicle to bring answers into
the lives of many. Let love be your motivation to pray!
( Sources : ‘THE
POWER OF PRAYER’ BY DANIEL KING)
