philippians

What a blessed friendship is that of which the natural language is prayer! We have many ways, thank God, of showing our love and of helping one another, but the best way is by praying for one another. All that is selfish and low is purged out of our hearts in the act of prayer, suspicions and doubts fade away when we pray for those whom we love. Many an alienation would have melted like morning mists if it had been prayed about. Added tenderness and delicacy come to our friendships also, through prayer, like the bloom on ripening grapes. We may test our loves

[friendships] by this simple criterion—can we pray about them? If not, should we have them?

—Alexander MacLaren (adapted)

Reading: “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment.”—Philippians 1:9