“And I do not pray for these alone, but for those also who shall believe on Me through their word, that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. And I have given them the glory which You have given Me, that they may be one, even as We are one, I in them, and You in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that You have sent Me and have loved them as You have loved Me.” John 17:20-23 MKJV

In my experience of reading the Gospels, I have found John 17 to be the only chapter containing much detail of what Jesus actually prayed about. Other references either just mention that He went to pray (e.g. Matthew 14:23) or the length of time involved (e.g. Luke 6:13), but none except this chapter gave this much detail of the content of His personal prayer time.

On a day like this, when many are celebrating love and if you’re single especially, the temptation to hold a pity party with yourself as guest of honour might be probably strong. The temptation to go back to the ex that you knew God never wanted you to have anything to do with in the first place, might equally be stronger. But hey, I’ve got some news for you: someone loved you enough to pray and die for you, way before you were born. HIS NAME IS JESUS! [Meet Him] He prayed for those who would believe in Him through the words of the disciples – us – thousand of years before, assuring us that the FATHER LOVES US AS MUCH AS HE LOVES HIM, as today’s text states!

Think about the love the Father had + has for Jesus, then picture yourself being loved in the same way even though you’re not Jesus; totally undeserving , yet ever flowing 💞.  Don’t have a crying session because you’re not in a position to feel love as you’d want to. Reaching for that ice cream tub and watching a movie that’d further dampen your mood, isn’t going to be of much help to your health – spiritual, physical (waistline) or mental (depression) etc.

Love isn’t a feeling; it’s pretty full of decisions and/or actions:

“Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].”1 Corinthians 13:4-7 AMP

GOD. IS. LOVE! (1 John 4:8) YOU ARE LOVED! GOD. LOVES. YOU! God’s promise to the Children of Israel is applicable to you:

“The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:3 KJV

Remind yourself of God’s love for you. Better still, go out of your way and show the love of God to others. Love gives (John 3:16). Happy Valentine’s Day ❤️

God bless you🙂

© Lydia Ndagilaya for PneumaWord

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