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“Love for God and love for neighbour constitute the first and greatest commandments on which hang all the law and the prophets. Love is the fulfilling of the law, and the first named fruit of the Spirit. Love is the evidence that we are born again; the assurance that we know God; and the proof that God dwells within us. Love is the new commandment of Christ, who told his disciples that only as they obeyed this commandment would their mission be visible and believable. Christian love for one another is how the unseen God, who made himself visible through his incarnate Son, goes on making himself visible to the world. Love was among the first things that Paul observed and commended among new believers, along with faith and hope. But love is the greatest, for love never ends.”[1]
These words are saturated with biblical teaching on love. Yet, is this robust, life-giving love what we see in the world? The Church? In place of love, all too often we see a thirst for self. In many places this self-first focus results in a race for power. This is certainly true as we look among the governments of this world, but sadly, it is often true in the one place where humility should be at home – that is, in the Church.
Love is the root of humility and the antidote to egotism. Without love, humility is not possible. Love can do great things because it takes control of our lives out of our hands and gives that control back to God where it belongs. Watch the video below, and notice how love compels God’s people to cast aside their own interests for the interests of others.
VIDEO – TESTIMONY FROM NORTH KOREA
Take a moment now and pray as this young woman has exhorted us.
To see such selfless love is humbling. Brothers and sisters, we must get serious about living lives of humility. We must resist the enemy and this world that would tempt us to usurp God’s rightful place. It is only love, His love for us, changing us and causing love to well up in us for others that can overcome pride. The Gospel of God’s love for us must blow apart our kingdoms of self-interest. Regardless of your station in life – whether ministry, business, politics, or the academy, let God’s love for you lead you to a life of humility.
Ask God to reveal to you where you should grow in loving others. Pray for those you love, and most importantly, pray for those you find hard to love. Pray for the Church that humility, born in love, would characterize God’s people for the sake of his name. Ask how you might give away power today instead of grasping for it. Ask how you might go lower today, that the name of Christ may go higher. Ask how you might serve today so that others might see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
[1] Cape Town Commitment, “We love because God first loved us,” 2010.
This blog is a part of the Lausanne Global Prayer Focus. We invite you to journey with The Lausanne Movement in prayer throughout the month of May. This journey will be a personal one, and a collective one. It will be focused on the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, his good news for all people.
In week 2, we are focusing on The People Shaped by the Gospel. 
Download a prayer guide for the week, or visit lausanne.org/pray to access the new content daily. You may also enter your email on this page to be sent a weekly email reminder with the new prayer content each week of May. Be sure to select “Prayer” as a Topic Interest.