Sunday, May 31, 2009

Praying for Your Kids Monday
Fruits of the Spirit: Love

Back from vacation and excited to start PYKM up again; I hope the "time away" was good for you as you developed new habits of praying for your kids but I also hope you missed me enough to keep coming back!

Two new things. 1) I've gotten several requests since we started this journey for a copy of certain prayers. Well I don't save them and the blog doesn't archive them since its not an official "post". Sooooo, I'm going to write it as a post and put in the side column so it is there all week for reference but you'll be able to find a favorite but going to the archive list and clicking on "PYKM".

2) For summer I thought I would do a theme for a few weeks and feel God leading towards the fruits of the spirit. I used to have a little tent card on my kitchen window sill to remind me of the fruits and I found it so helpful during the day to be reminded of what I have already been given and is what is expected of me. As we teach our kids about Godly virtues I think it is important we use the language that God uses. Instead of saying, "You need to wait your turn" we can say, "Please have patience and self-control"; we're using the same language that God uses and we're confirming what we've been praying for them quietly and outloud with them.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control". Galatians 5:22 & 23

The first fruit is love and I hope to unpack this virtue a little bit in tomorrow's post but for now, let's start praying it for our children!

"And now I will show you the most excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing". 1 Corinthians 13: 1-4

Lord, thank you for the Holy Spirit you have sent to us to teach us your right and good way. Thank you that you haven't left us to muddle along on our own, searching for truth and happiness, but instead have shown us a clear path through your Son and through your Word. I pray for ___________ to be filled with your Spirit's love; may she learn to love unconditionally and faithfully, for you have taught us that love is the most excellent way.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hey so glad that you mentioned that we have already been given the fruits of the Spirit, I forget sometimes and think I have to "work" on them on my own and it is so important to remind myself and my kids that they are given to us with the Holy Spirit... lovies - Cary