or in no
other writing is there such a full revelation of the heart of St. Paul and
of his love to those with whom he was united in Christ. As, therefore, he
knew them so intimately, so he prayed for them, the prayer revealing at
once their need, and his conviction as to essential things. Prayer is
always strong in proportion to our acquaintance with the spiritual life of
others, and feeble so far as we are ignorant of their needs.

1. THE DEFINITE REQUEST.

Let us mark the opening words: "this I keep on asking" (Greek). There was
one thing for which he asked continually, and this seemed to him to sum up
everything in their life.

(1) He prayed for love; "your love." As they already possessed life, he
wished it to be expressed in love. The Epistle is full of this subject. No
writing is so truly characterised by the love of St. Paul for his
converts, or of his converts for St. Paul (see ch. iv. 14-18). Let us
again remind ourselves that love in the New Testament is something
definite, tangible, strong, practical, intense. It is more than sentiment,
though of course it includes that; it is more than emotion, though
undoubtedly it includes that; it is more than desire, though obviously it
includes that. Love is the outgoing of the entire nature in
self-sacrificing service. It is the sympathy of the heart and the devotion
of the life to its object. As such it is the supreme proof of the reality
of our Christian profession. "If ye love Me, ye will keep My commandments"
(John xiv. 15, R.V.). "Lovest thou Me ... feed My sheep" (John xxi. 16).
"Seeing ye have purified your souls ... love one another from the heart
unfeignedly" (1 Pet. i. 22, R.V.). It was with no cynicism, but with a
wonderful astonishment, that the heathen used to say, "See how these
Christians love one another." When therefore the Apostle prayed for love
he was asking that the Philippian Christians might possess and manifest
the very finest, truest, most powerful, and most attractive proof of their
Christian life.

(2) He prayed for abounding love; "that your love may abound." Not only
some, but abundant love; not a little, but much. Love to be real must be
kept full, intense, overflowing; it calls for continual reinforcement,
replenishing, and the abundance of love is the measure and proof of the
possession of abundant life.

(3) He prayed for increasing love; "that your love may abound yet more and
more." Expression is piled upon expression in order