When I started to pray about this, one thought came to mind loud and clear; our second commandment. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” With all that is going on in our nation and the world, this prayer is about gratitude, grace and giving but with a cry out to pray for us all to love thy neighbor.
“‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD Leviticus 19:18
But first we need to understand to love thy neighbor we need to love ourselves first. God loves us so much ~ he is ginormous, we need to open our hearts and truly love ourselves through His gracious love. Quietly seek His love through His living word. Here are a few verses that I find helpful.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10N (NIV)
You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you. Song of Solomon 4:7 (ESV)
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV)
God Bless & Happy Thanksgiving
Tina
THANKSGIVING PRAYER 2016 by Tina E. Boyd
Dear Heavenly Father,
We give you thanks for your love and your grace, we truly thank you for the family and friends here with us and the living memory in our hearts with the ones who are in heaven with you. We ask that you open up our heart and mind to give us the wisdom and grace of the commandment, “love thy neighbor as yourself.” We are so ever blessed with your deep and eternal love. Teach us to stop to see your image and feel your love all around us… in the beauty of nature, the deep navy skies with the diamond sparkles of a star, the falling of crystal pure white snow, the sunrise, the rain storms, the rainbows and the all glorious sunsets. You are the love that is around us, through our family and friends. We give you thanks! Help us Lord to love unconditionally as you did for us by giving us your only Son.
We pray for your presence to be shown to us in our inner being so we may love ourselves to love thy neighbor. Lord please protect our loved ones and we thank you for our country and all the men and women continuing to serve you and our freedom. Show us your will Lord, we are ever grateful for our journey that is before us, we know you have our way, let us depend on you. We praise and love you in your name as the Trinity, The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. Amen
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” Luke 6:27 (NIV)
