And he [Jesus] said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37-39 ESV
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a ESV
Let all that you do be done in love. 1 Corinthians 16:14 ESV
In our area, the new school year has already started. Many places will start by the end of August or after Labor Day. A new school year is always exciting, with maybe a bit of anxiety, too. If you are a parent or a grandparent, you want your children to be successful in school; to make friends, have a great teacher, gain knowledge and wisdom, learn to get along with others, and most of all to be happy.
Our verses for today give us the best guideline for having a successful and positive school year – love.
In Matthew, Jesus says we are to love God and others. In 1 Corinthians, Paul tells us first what love is; patient, kind, rejoices with the truth, bears all things, believes, hopes, endures and never ends. And what love is not; envious, boastful, arrogant, rude, demanding, irritable, resentful, and does not rejoice at wrongdoing. “Let everything be done in love.”
We all pray for our children as they begin a new school year. But I would like to offer a prayer for parents, and everyone, as this school year begins.
I Pray You…
find rest in the presence of the Lord.
have hope as strong as unbreakable cord.
accept forgiveness and let past sins be done.
gift forgiveness to others so we can be as one.
accept healing and comfort from the Almighty above.
offer words of encouragement in Christian love.
hold onto love and never be done.
shine love for others to see the Son.
ask for wisdom as you deal with people in your life.
gain strength and endurance to handle stress and strife.
embrace the peace that the world can’t understand.
step into your future that your Father has planned.
carry the joy of the Lord wherever you may go.
share the reason for your faith so others will know.
This week pray for children as they begin a new school year with love. And for everyone, choose rest in the presence of the Lord and accept His love and blessings.
I thank God for each of you! And I thank you for joining me this week as our children begin a new and blessed school year with love.
Blessings and abundance in our Lord!
Peggy Writes 
I still find myself stressing this time each year even though I haven’t had to worry about school for decades (I never liked school for several reasons, including religious discrimination at my school). It’s kind of funny to dread August each year as that “back to school” feeling descends on me. Some things never change. 😎
Your prayer/poem is lovely, and this entire post shines with your love for your former students as a former teacher. Those kids were lucky to have you in their classrooms, Peggy. Here’s hoping for a safe, productive school year for all kids everywhere. Well done as always, my friend. 😊
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Thank you, Mike, for your kindness and constant support! Sometimes our emotions and memories from our childhood still assault us when we least expect it. I so appreciate you, my friend, and thanks for the love you give to others!
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