21 Days of Prayer for Sons - Love (Day 9)

Luca showing his Love ;)

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." ~Galatians 5: 22
Today, we're getting into the first part of praying the fruits of the Spirit for our sons. In reality, praying for the fruit of Love is asking to know God in a new way. There are so many facets to God's personality that it we will not hesitate to spend eternity seeking more of Him. 1 John 4:8 says "Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." God = Love. This is truly heartening because it means that anyone who loves, either in their actions or their hearts, knows God in some way. I believe that this is a major part of how we are made in His image; how we love.

So, if you're ever frustrated in reaching your son's heart, or frightened that maybe he doesn't even know God at all, do not fear. You will see God in how he loves to hug you, helps his little sister tie her shoe, spends time talking to his grandparents on the phone. As Brooke wrote in the Leader's Guide for this challenge, "There is no real love apart from God, and God is behind all real and genuine acts of love."

To get real for a minute, while writing this post, I've had to discipline Carlo and Luca for fighting - saying mean things, grabbing arms, even biting. This is frustrating to me after faithfully praying scripture into their lives all week. But, my heart is encouraged when they are so quick to forgive each other and make up with hugs. I just need to keep sowing those seeds of LOVE into their hearts, it has taken root and will grow as they do, eventually into a fruit-bearing tree.

Love

May__________ not love the world or the things in the world (1 John 2:15) 

May our sons love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God (1 John 4:7)

May our sons love one another earnestly from a pure heart (1 Peter 1:22) 

May our sons, when they become husbands, love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself (Ephesians 5:28)

May the Lord make__________increase and abound in love (1 Thessalonians 3:12) 

May__________know that this is love, that we walk according to His commandments... (2 John 1:6)

May__________not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth (1 John 3:18) May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to __________ (Jude 1:2) 

May __________ love the LORD his God with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might (Deuteronomy 6:5)

May__________know that this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins (1 John 4:10)