Praying to Know You Are Loved

Heavenly Father, I believe Your Word which tells me that You love me (Psalm 86:13).  And that nothing can separate me from Your love (Romans 8:39), except my own refusal to believe it and receive it.  You loved me even before I was born (Psalm 139:13), and You fashioned me according to Your grand plan and purpose.  According to Your Word, I am one of Your marvelous works of art, Father, and I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). 

Thank You for making me a new creation in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17).  I can rejoice in the certain knowledge that You have made all things new in my life including the way I see myself.  I have been made complete in Christ Jesus (Colossians 2:10).  Thank You for pouring Your love into my heart through Your Hoy Spirit whom You have given to me (Romans 5:5).  Through Him, I am able to comprehend with all the saints the full extent of Your love (Ephesians 3:18).  Strengthen me by Your Spirit in my innermost being, Father, and keep rooting and grounding me in Your wonderful love, so I will know the love of Christ Jesus which surpasses all knowledge (Ephesians 3:17-19). Thank You for loving me and helping me to love You with all my heart; and perfecting that love so that I can love myself as You love me (1 John 4:16-17). 

Life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned to me by the Lord Jesus — the work of telling others the Good News about Your mighty kindness and love (Acts 20:24 Phillips). But I must love myself before Your love can shine past me to others. So from this time forward I will walk in love toward You, others, and myself, because I know Chris Jesus loved me and gave Himself for me (Ephesians 5:2).  I will clothe myself with compassion as one of Your chosen people, holy and dearly loved (Colossians 3:12).

I trust You, Father, to continue Your workmanship in my life, for I know You are working within me, both to will and to do Your good pleasure and purpose (Philippians 2:13).  When I don’t feel I’m loved, I need to remember always that You first loved me (1 John 4:19), and this fact of my faith enables me to love myself and others.  I gladly and gratefully receive Your love, gracious Father.

I want to follow all Your commandments because of Your great love for me (John 14:15) and to show You that I do indeed love You (1 John 5:3).    By experiencing Your love and sharing it with others, people will know I am a disciple of Christ Jesus (John 13:34-35).  Your perfect love has cast out all fear (1 John 4:18), including the fear of not being loved.  Thank You so much for Your limitless love, O Lord my God.  It really is from everlasting to everlasting (Psalm 136:1).