Luv is a Verb
4I pray that out of his glorious riches, he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, (Ephesians 3:16)
My mom is very fond of the band DC Talk. She likes their music, but she also enjoyed feeling like a rebel as a teenager, because her mom disapproved of the music. A completely different rollercoaster from the oldies and gospel music my grandma listened to, DC Talk was a Christian rock band that grew popular in the ‘90s. I’m not sure if my mom knows I like any of their music (hi Mom!), but one of their songs that resonates with me is “Luv Is A Verb.” Here are some of the lyrics:
He delivered to the people an eternal choice / With a heart full of luv and the truth in His voice / Gave up His life so that we may live / How much more luv could the Son of God give? / Here is the example that we oughta be matchin' / 'Cause luv is a word that requires some action.
The theme of this song is a great reminder: that love must be shown through sacrifice and action. We want what’s best for the people we love– and that means that we always want them to be close to God.
A great way we can put our love for them into action is to pray for them!
In our passage this week, Paul prays for the Ephesians. I encourage you to read the whole prayer (Ephesians 3:14-21) because it’s a great example of how we can pray for others. He begins by kneeling before God, then he prays that the Ephesians would be strengthened and come to grasp just how deep God’s love is for them. He also prays that they would be grounded in that love, and that they would be filled with all the fullness of God. He ends by acknowledging God’s power and the wonderful things he’s doing in them, finally redirecting the glory in the church back to God.
Life can frequently feel like a battle against both internal and external enemies. Something one of my leaders at youth camp said is that in the midst of our battles, it's so important to know that God fights for us, that Jesus and the Spirit are with us, interceding for us and lifting us up. When we pray for and with others, that means we get to join the fight alongside them!
Lord, make me aware of the needs of the people I love. Prompt me to lift them up to you in prayer. Make them aware of how much you love and care about them. Help me to show care to them in the ways that I can and remind me that you are caring for them in all the ways that I can’t. Amen.
Leave a Comment
Comments for this post have been disabled.
More in Connect Devotional
February 7, 2025
Give Them Something to EatFebruary 6, 2025
Show Jesus What You GotFebruary 5, 2025
Miraculous Multiplication
4 Comments
Esther Redington Jan 16, 2025 @ 9:32 am
Esther Redington Jan 16, 2025 @ 9:32 am
Esther Redington Jan 16, 2025 @ 9:32 am
Jessica Waldstein Jan 15, 2025 @ 6:46 am