"Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me..." (2 Timothy 4:10).
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name. Our Savior taught us to pray, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" (Matthew 6:13 - ESV).
Lord, You know that one of the strongest temptations we face is to love the world. In subtle and overt ways, we are constantly pulled towards its dazzling sights and tempting sounds. But You have clearly instructed us, "Do not love the world or anything in the world." The apostle John gives us the sobering warning, If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them" (1 John 2:15).
In Your great mercy and wisdom, Lord, You put us "on guard" against the things that will harm us, destroy us, or cause us loss. You show us that love of the world crowds out the abiding and protective love of the Father—the love we need to truly thrive and flourish.
Our Lord Jesus, in the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-8; 18-23), compared the message of the kingdom to seed that fell on various types of soil. He described seed that "fell among thorns which grew up and choked the plants" (Matthew 13:7). He later explained to the disciples that The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful (Matthew 13:22).
Oh Lord, help us! Help us to be so deeply rooted in You, so that when the pressures of life build, and we face the moment of truth, we will not, like Demas, desert Your work because we love this world.
Remind us of the words of the Lord Jesus, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful"...“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing"(John 15:1-2,5).
Teach us to abide in Jesus, the true vine. Teach us to submit to Your wise and skillful tending, even in the cutting and the pruning. Uproot the weeds of worldly love, so they do not choke out the love of the Father, which alone can make us rich and fruitful.
We pray O God, for all those who have been drawn from Your path into the false promises of the world. Draw them back in Your mercy and grace.
We pray for others facing challenges or tough times because of the choice to follow You. Strengthen their hearts and guard their minds. Deliver us all from the deadly temptation to neglect our souls and choose the things of the world:
For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever (1 John 2:16-17).
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