May 30

What Love Sounds Like

I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. I command you to love each other.

John 15:16-17 (NLT)


Here’s an eye-opener: my prayers are not for me. Really. My prayers are designed to further God’s kingdom.

John makes it plain: the purpose of prayer is to produce fruit. Sometimes that means praying for the sick, sometimes it means praying through someone’s problem, and sometimes it’s praying for the lost. One thing's for sure; my prayers should always be about loving God and loving others. Is this news to you? Do you find it hard to believe?

Tell me if you think I'm wrong, but too often our first subject in prayer is … us! That’s natural for new believers and it’s expected we’ll seek God’s help in our daily life, but the breakdown comes when we pray according to our will and not the Father’s will (1 John 5:14).

James identified the central problem (James 4:2-3). First, we don’t pray (we just don’t ask God for much of anything!), then, when we do pray, we pray for our own pleasure or we pray as a last resort asking for God to rescue us. Let's face it: too many times our motives are wrong.

I challenge you to join me. I am determined to commit myself anew to pray with the only motive God recognizes: love. I will love God and seek His will by loving others and praying for them. This prayer bears fruit. This is why I am here, and this is what love sounds like.

So, who can you love today … through prayer?


Father, show me others' needs so I can pray for them. Produce a great harvest through me—fruit that will last! Amen.