ABIDE Prayer: Loving Our Neighbors
The purpose of ABIDE is to seek God through prayer, rely on the Spirit as we gather together, and pray with unity and purpose. ABIDE prayers are Scripture-led and Spirit-focused prayers.
Today’s Focus: Loving Our Neighbors
It can be difficult to love others, especially when they have not done anything for us or perhaps been “difficult” to love. When life is going well for us and our “tanks” are full, then it’s easier to love others. However, this way of loving others is dependent on us and our circumstances. And that is why our love for others can be like a roller coaster. To love others the way God calls us to love others requires His love to flow through us. And in order for God’s love to flow through us, we need to receive God’s love.
Prayers for Our Hearts
“I will sing about the LORD’s faithful love forever; I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 89:1)
Prayer: God, you have faithfully revealed your love to me. Thank you for loving me during _________________________ (fill in the blank with a time in your life when God revealed His faithful love to you).
Scripture tells us that we are God’s children. We are adopted by God into His family and He is our Father. “You did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children.” (Romans 8:15-16)
Prayer: Father, thank you that I am your son/daughter and I belong to you. Ask God to help you receive His love – in the deep places of your heart where you may feel unloved, forgotten or afraid. You can pray aloud or silently, however you feel comfortable, asking God to help you receive His love.
Prayers for Our Neighbors
Scripture tells us that God wants us to love Him and love others as we love ourselves above any other command that is given in Scripture. “Jesus answered, ‘The most important is Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command greater than these.’” (Mark 12:29-31)
Prayer: God, we need you to work in our hearts and help us love our neighbors. We need you to teach us to love our neighbors and empower us by your Spirit to love them. God, help me to love _____________________________ (fill in the blank with the name of a neighbor or someone who God brings to your mind).
“Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” (1 John 4:8)
Prayer: Let’s take a few moments to pray for our neighbors to know God’s love for them.
God, we pray for_______________________________(fill in the blank with the name of one of your neighbors or someone God brings to your mind) and ask that you open their heart to you and your love for them.
Closing Prayer: God, thank you that you are love and you love us. Help us to receive your love this week and extend your love to our neighbors. Awaken our hearts to pray for our neighbors and show us how to love our neighbors the way you love them. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
