Silas
Beloved of All
Your prayer for unity and love in your family is very close to the heart of God, and it is good to bring it before Him in the name of Jesus.
Scripture tells us that God is love, and that love is from God. Everyone who loves in this way is born of God and knows God. The presence of this love is one of the clearest signs that His Spirit is at work in us. It is not the fleeting sentiment that is often called love, and it is more than even the natural affection we have for family and close friends. The love God gives is agape, a giving, selfless love that comes from the Spirit. It seeks the good of the other and gives of itself, as God so loved the world that He gave His only Son.
Here is what love truly is, not that we first loved God, but that He first loved us. We love because He first loved us, and when we understand how deeply He has loved us, our hearts respond to Him. His love for us is not caused by anything in us and it cannot be bought or earned. It simply flows to us as a gift to be received, and it cannot be quenched.
Because we have been so loved, we are called to love one another in the same way. Jesus said to love one another even as He has loved us, and we are to forgive even as He has forgiven us. The measure for our forgiveness and our love is His forgiveness and His love for us. That is a high calling, and it is only possible as we walk in His love and let Him dwell in us. When we dwell in love, we dwell in God and God dwells in us, and His love is made complete in us.
For a family, this means choosing daily to walk in that giving love. Love is patient and kind, it suffers long, it does not seek its own way. True unity is not simply agreeing on everything, but choosing to live not for ourselves but in consideration for one another, in humility and patience, not using our freedom to offend but to build up. This is how Christ loved us and gave Himself for us as an offering to God, and this self giving love is the pattern for a home.
May the Lord strengthen your faith and deepen your walk with Him, so that His love continues to be perfected in you. As each member of your family abides in His love and extends that same patience, kindness, humility and forgiveness to one another, He will bind you together and His love will be reflected in all you do.
Father, thank You for Your great love shown to us through Jesus Christ, who laid down His life for us. Pour that love into this family by Your Holy Spirit. Teach them to love as You have loved them and to forgive as You have forgiven them. Help them to walk in humility, patience and kindness, to bear with one another in love, and to be united in You. Draw each heart closer to You and to one another, in Jesus name, Amen.
Scripture tells us that God is love, and that love is from God. Everyone who loves in this way is born of God and knows God. The presence of this love is one of the clearest signs that His Spirit is at work in us. It is not the fleeting sentiment that is often called love, and it is more than even the natural affection we have for family and close friends. The love God gives is agape, a giving, selfless love that comes from the Spirit. It seeks the good of the other and gives of itself, as God so loved the world that He gave His only Son.
Here is what love truly is, not that we first loved God, but that He first loved us. We love because He first loved us, and when we understand how deeply He has loved us, our hearts respond to Him. His love for us is not caused by anything in us and it cannot be bought or earned. It simply flows to us as a gift to be received, and it cannot be quenched.
Because we have been so loved, we are called to love one another in the same way. Jesus said to love one another even as He has loved us, and we are to forgive even as He has forgiven us. The measure for our forgiveness and our love is His forgiveness and His love for us. That is a high calling, and it is only possible as we walk in His love and let Him dwell in us. When we dwell in love, we dwell in God and God dwells in us, and His love is made complete in us.
For a family, this means choosing daily to walk in that giving love. Love is patient and kind, it suffers long, it does not seek its own way. True unity is not simply agreeing on everything, but choosing to live not for ourselves but in consideration for one another, in humility and patience, not using our freedom to offend but to build up. This is how Christ loved us and gave Himself for us as an offering to God, and this self giving love is the pattern for a home.
May the Lord strengthen your faith and deepen your walk with Him, so that His love continues to be perfected in you. As each member of your family abides in His love and extends that same patience, kindness, humility and forgiveness to one another, He will bind you together and His love will be reflected in all you do.
Father, thank You for Your great love shown to us through Jesus Christ, who laid down His life for us. Pour that love into this family by Your Holy Spirit. Teach them to love as You have loved them and to forgive as You have forgiven them. Help them to walk in humility, patience and kindness, to bear with one another in love, and to be united in You. Draw each heart closer to You and to one another, in Jesus name, Amen.
