Friday 19 – 1 Corinthians 13:7  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Lord, we do not want to be selfish. We realise how important it is to value and appreciate ourselves, and we know that we need genuine love for ourselves if we are to love others. Remind us of the importance of keeping time and space and quiet for ourselves, and remind us to respect the personal needs of others, too. We thank you for making us who we are. Inspire us to grow with a positive attitude, right values, and a generous spirit. Enabling us to endure all the things in life that you would have us bear.

Amen.

Thursday 18 – Mark 12:31  The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Lord Jesus, we can read in the Gospel of your attitude towards those whom others looked down on. Zacchaeus, the tax-collector, was rejected by others, but you called him by his name .You did not condemn the woman who was about to be stoned for adultery, but you called her to change her life. The woman who was drawing water from the well ,cut off by others because she was a Samaritan. Yet she was one of the very few whom you told directly that you were the Messiah. We think of people being ‘put down’ or ‘bullied’ and we ask you this day, Lord, to remind us of the respect that each person deserves. Lead us to be as encouraging and positive to others as we would like them to be to us.

Amen.

Wednesday 17 – 1 Corinthians 16:14  Let all that you do be done in love.

As you walk beside us, Lord, lead us to recognise you in all those you place into our lives this day. Bringing love to all who seek it.

Amen

Tuesday 16 – Proverbs 10:12  Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offences.

Lord our God, we pray for the strength to hold to our convictions. We pray, too, for the courage and determination to stand with those who suffer from injustice. In all that we do, Lord, inspire us to act justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly with you, our God.

Amen

Monday 15 – 1 John 4:19  We love because he first loved us.

Loving Lord, we hear about ordinary people. They spend years making choices each day about small ordinary things. Their positive and life-giving attitudes eventually lead to serious decisions about standing with the poor and the underprivileged and those treated unjustly. Inspire us, Lord, to choose wisely in the ordinary circumstances of our daily lives. Giving us love first. Having then chosen wisely in small things, inspire us with courage and generosity when we make more important decisions. Always remembering, that your commandment is to love one another.

Amen