“I pray for them … I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one.” (John 17:9, 11)
Praying for someone is the most biblically loving thing you can do. While you can do other loving things, prayer is the first and greatest act of love that determines the effect of everything else. Prayer invites Jesus into the center of your relationship and allows the power of the Holy Spirit to shape your relationship.
While loving biblically is a goal that will take a lifetime to learn, prayer has to be the first step if you want to love like Jesus. How often are you really praying for the people you “love?”
The Bible says, “Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:8). In reality, most Christians give up on loving other people because they try to love and serve others in their own wisdom and power. They want to see the fruit of the Spirit show up in their relationships (things like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, Galatians 5:22), but they don’t spend any time inviting the Holy Spirit into their relationships. Believers could enjoy healthier relationships if they would follow God’s Word and pray for the people in their lives.