May the peace of the Lord be with us

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Philippi and beyond:

May the grace and peace of God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Every time I remember you,
I thank my God.

Every day I pray for you with joy –
from the first day until now –
for your fellowship in the Gospel
gives confidence
that the good work
God began in you
will come to completion
in the day of Jesus Christ.

It’s right to think this way
as our hearts hold us together
in the Grace of God,
confining us to defend and confirm
the Gospel.

With God as my witness, I long for you
to have the compassion of Jesus Christ.

And this is my prayer:
That your love may abound more and more
with full knowledge and insight,
so you may know what’s best
and be sincere
without offending Christ –
filled with the fruit of righteousness
which comes to you through Jesus Christ
for the glory and praise of God.


© 2013, Mary Harwell Sayler, prayer-a-phrase of today’s Daily Bible Reading in Philippians 1:1-11


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