God's love ignites prayer and praise

It's wonderful to see a little child run and throw himself into his mother's arms.

It's the child's joyous response to the love his mother has for him.  He loves because he is loved.

It should be the same with us and God.  We need to realize that God loves us even more than our parents do.  We should respond the same way the little child does to his mother's love.

Knowing how much we are loved ignites prayer and praise.

What made me think of this was reading King David's simple opening line in Psalm 18: "I love you, O Lord, my strength."

It's not often I tell God that I love him.  I tell him he is awesome.  I ask him for things.  Those are good things - they show my admiration, respect and dependence on him.

But love brings joy to prayer.

As the apostle John said in 1 John 4:19: "We love because he first loved us."  We are only able to love others because God first loved us.

How do we know we are loved by God?  We have the testimony of his words in scripture and in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

Jesus himself said in John 15:13: "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends."  He did that for each one of us - each one of us individually.

David also says in Psalm 16:2 that "every good thing I have comes from you."  God is the giver of good things - family, friends, life, jobs, talents and spiritual gifts.

Meditating on God's love helps build gratitude - and love.

The more we know we are loved, the more we love the one who loves us.

There is no better foundation for praise and confident prayer.