Prayer Tip: The Power of Friendship
Daily Scripture
Luke 5:17-20
One day, while he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting nearby (they had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem); and the power of the Lord was with him to heal. Just then some men came, carrying a paralyzed man on a bed. They were trying to bring him in and lay him before Jesus; but finding no way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the middle of the crowd in front of Jesus. When he saw their faith, he said, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven you.’
Daily Reflection & Prayer
As I am writing this prayer tip our family is celebrating the 50th wedding anniversary of my parents, Robert and Teresa Lovell. I am overcome by their commitment to each other and to our family and continue to be inspired by their generous hearts. 50 years takes more than our culture’s romantic ideal of love. It takes friendship, tenacity, commitment, and laughter, too! As they have prepared for this day the family has enjoyed looking over their photos, hearing their stories of ups and downs, and their undying devotion to each other. As I observe their glances at each other I see the history, the respect that they have for one another, and I am so proud to be their daughter. Not everyone is able to enjoy and push through a lifetime together, so I give God thanks for their commitment to each other.
Relationships are one of life’s most unique challenges. God desires us to be together. Relationships require us to show up 100% as we are. As single people, we are also made for relationships and I find my greatest strength comes from my relationship in Christ and in my friendships in community, with friends who are like me and friends who are unlike me. One of the greatest rewards of being in relationship with people who are opposite of you is how much you learn and grow together in friendship. Relationships take time, patience and understanding. It’s easy to get caught up in the negativity of today’s world but my challenge for you today is to give God thanks for the people in your life! Remember to tell them daily how much you care for them and appreciate them.
Let us pray–
Prayer
Holy God, we surrender our very lives to you. We give you thanks for the sense of belonging that we have in community with each other. We know you desire us to share life with each other. Let us always carry a sense of gratitude and grace for one another. If we are shy and timid about new friendships or relationships remind us that we can always come to you for strength and comfort. We love you and honor you in all we do. Amen.
GPS Insights
Jessica Lovell
This week's prayer tip is by Jessica Lovell, who serves as a Connection & Care Pastor at Resurrection Overland Park.
