Day 14 – Pray and Love

Day 14 — Pray and Love 

Opening prayer

Father in heaven, as I read your Word today, give me your heart for those who do not yet know Jesus. Teach me to pray with love, patience and perseverance, and show me one practical way to make the gospel visible in love. Amen.

Headline

Because God is sovereign, gracious and powerful, we begin by praying for people and loving them in practical ways.

Romans 10:1

Comment

This week we have considered three truths that give us confidence in sharing Christ.

God is sovereign. He has placed people around us so that they might seek him and find him. God is gracious. In Christ, we are loved, forgiven, adopted and secure, so the response of others does not define us. God is powerful. He can open blind eyes, and our job is not to convert people, but to point them to Jesus.

But what do we actually do?

Over the next two days, we will consider four simple practices all of us can begin, whatever our personality type, knowledge or confidence. Today we begin with the first two: we pray and we love.

The first practice is the simplest and the most important.

We pray.

In Romans 10, Paul writes about his fellow Jews:

“My heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.” (v.1)

That is where witness begins: with heart’s desire and prayer.

If only God can change hearts, then prayer is not the warm-up to evangelism. Prayer is central to evangelism. Before we speak to people about God, we speak to God about people.

After I came to faith at university, I met people who said, “Oh yes, James, we’ve been praying for you.” At first that was a little disconcerting. I wondered how many people were in on this! But then it became deeply comforting. They cared enough to pray.

So the first thing we can do is pray for people we know and love to come to faith in Jesus. And we can be specific. Not simply, “Lord, please save people,” though that is a good prayer. But, “Lord, please have mercy on this person. Open their eyes. Give them opportunities to hear about Jesus. And use me, if you will.”

A simple practice is 2 for 2: for two minutes each day, pray for two people you know and love to come to faith in Jesus. Two people. Two minutes. Every day.

Write their names somewhere: in your Bible, on your phone, on the fridge, in your diary. And keep praying.

The second practice is that we love.

John writes:

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.” (1 John 3:16)

The love of Christ is not vague sentiment. It is costly, practical, self-giving love. And John goes on to say:

“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (v.18)

That is why practical love matters in witness. Not because love is a technique. Not because kindness is manipulation. But because genuine love makes the gospel visible before it is explained.

Perhaps the next step with someone is not yet an invitation, or a gospel conversation, or telling your story. Perhaps it is a meal, a lift, a visit, a walk, a note, a message, an offer of help, or a simple act of kindness.

Something that says: I am for you, because Christ has been so gracious to me.

I once heard a story told by Perth pastor Rory Shiner about his neighbour Geoff, who was hostile to Christianity. Geoff had been openly aggressive towards Rory because of his Christian beliefs. Yet when Geoff became very ill and was too sick to walk his dog, Rory walked it for him, hoping that simple act of love might soften his heart.

That is not spectacular. It is not flashy. It is not a programme. It is simply Christian love in the dog park.

And as we love people, conversations often open. Questions come. Stories can be shared.

Why does God want you to hear this today? Perhaps because you are wondering where to begin. Begin with prayer. Speak to God about the people he has placed in your life. And begin with love. Ask what simple, concrete act of kindness might make the love of Christ visible to them. You do not need to force the door open. Pray, love, and ask God to open it.

Reflect

• Who are two people you can begin praying for every day to come to faith in Jesus?
• What does Romans 10:1 teach you about the connection between love, longing and prayer?
• What practical act of love could you offer someone this week, not as a technique, but as a genuine expression of Christ’s love?

Action

Choose two people to pray for every day using the 2 for 2 pattern: two people, two minutes, every day.

Then choose one practical act of love for one of them, and complete this sentence:

“This week, I could show Christlike love to __________ by__________.”

Closing prayer

Father in heaven, thank you that you are sovereign, gracious and powerful. Please give me a heart’s desire for the salvation of those who do not yet know Jesus. Help me to pray faithfully and specifically for them, and to love them not only with words, but with actions and in truth. Please open doors for the gospel, and make the love of Christ visible through me. Amen.