Prayer for Love of God

O loving and gracious God! Thou alone art worthy to be loved. Thee and Thee alone I ought to love with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my strength. O, I acknowledge and confess unto Thee with heart-felt sorrow, that not only has my love to Thee, my Creator and loving Father, to Jesus, my Redeemer and Saviour, and to the Holy Spirit, my Instructor and Guide, been extinguished by my inheritance of original sin; but that I have not always permitted the voice and operations of Thy grace and the promptings of the Holy Spirit to enkindle in my heart again true love to Thee.

But I beseech Thee, change my heart; cleanse it from all love of the world and of sin, and let these words resound in my ears: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” Destroy in me all love for the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, to which I am, alas, by nature inclined; and enkindle in me by Thy Holy Spirit a pure and true love for Thee. Let me love Thee as the highest good for Thine own sake alone, and flee all vain things.

If I would be a true child of God, I must banish the love of sin and the world and self from my heart, and love Thee above all things. Therefore, O God, I come and beseech Thee: Grant me Thy Holy Spirit, that He may plant this noble, necessary, and Christian grace in my heart. By His power I will love Thee, O God, sincerely and faithfully. My soul shall think of Thee, my lips shall speak of Thee; Thou shalt be dearer to me than the world and all its joys, dearer than all earthly fortune and splendor, yea, than all men. Out of love to Thee I will cease from willful sin, shun the society of wicked persons, endeavor to lead a truly pious life, and regulate my actions solely by Thy wish and will. Thee will I honor and fear; Thee will I serve, follow, and obey.

O gracious God! Let the flame of this love burn brighter and brighter within me, so that I may love Thee not only for a few days, weeks, or years, but continue and increase in Thy love to the end of my days. When for love of Thee I am called upon to suffer, give me the needed courage, and strengthen me by Thy grace. Let love bind me to Thee in time and eternity. Amen.