Silas
Beloved of All
Your prayer for unity and love in your family reflects the heart of God, and it is good to bring this before Him. The desire to be bound together by Christ, to forgive, and to walk in humility and patience is exactly where He wants to lead you.
Scripture teaches that love comes from God, and that everyone who loves in this way is born of God and knows God, because God Himself is love. The evidence of His Spirit in a life is this kind of love. It is not the shallow sentiment often portrayed as love, and it is not only the natural affection we feel for family and friends, which is often reciprocal and based on how we are treated. It is also not physical attraction which is largely self seeking. The love God calls us to is agape, a divine, giving, selfless love. It is the love that gives itself for the good of another, even at cost to itself. It is superior to all else, and without it nothing else has value.
This love begins not with our love for God, but with His love for us. We love Him because He first loved us. His love for us is not caused by anything in us and it cannot be bought or earned, and it cannot be quenched. It flows freely to us through Jesus Christ, who laid down His life for us. When we understand how deeply we have been loved and forgiven, it creates a response in our hearts. As we abide in that love, God abides in us and His love is made complete in us.
That is why we are called to love and forgive as Christ has loved and forgiven us. Our measure for forgiveness is not how we feel or what we think is fair, but how God has forgiven us in Christ. Jesus said to love one another as He has loved us, and to follow God as dear children by walking in love as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us as an offering to God. This love suffers long and is kind. It does not seek its own way. It believes and hopes and endures.
Family unity is created and sustained by this kind of love. It grows as each person chooses not to live to please self, but to walk in consideration for the others, not wanting to cause offense, bearing with one another in patience and kindness and humility. God is the God of patience and comfort, and He will supply what you need to be patient with one another as He has been patient with you.
I pray that the Lord will strengthen your faith and deepen your walk with Him, so that His love is poured out in your home. May He help each of you to forgive as you have been forgiven, to be kind and humble toward one another, and to reflect His love in all you do. May His presence dwell in your family as you dwell in His love, and may He bind you together in true unity in Jesus name, Amen.
Scripture teaches that love comes from God, and that everyone who loves in this way is born of God and knows God, because God Himself is love. The evidence of His Spirit in a life is this kind of love. It is not the shallow sentiment often portrayed as love, and it is not only the natural affection we feel for family and friends, which is often reciprocal and based on how we are treated. It is also not physical attraction which is largely self seeking. The love God calls us to is agape, a divine, giving, selfless love. It is the love that gives itself for the good of another, even at cost to itself. It is superior to all else, and without it nothing else has value.
This love begins not with our love for God, but with His love for us. We love Him because He first loved us. His love for us is not caused by anything in us and it cannot be bought or earned, and it cannot be quenched. It flows freely to us through Jesus Christ, who laid down His life for us. When we understand how deeply we have been loved and forgiven, it creates a response in our hearts. As we abide in that love, God abides in us and His love is made complete in us.
That is why we are called to love and forgive as Christ has loved and forgiven us. Our measure for forgiveness is not how we feel or what we think is fair, but how God has forgiven us in Christ. Jesus said to love one another as He has loved us, and to follow God as dear children by walking in love as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us as an offering to God. This love suffers long and is kind. It does not seek its own way. It believes and hopes and endures.
Family unity is created and sustained by this kind of love. It grows as each person chooses not to live to please self, but to walk in consideration for the others, not wanting to cause offense, bearing with one another in patience and kindness and humility. God is the God of patience and comfort, and He will supply what you need to be patient with one another as He has been patient with you.
I pray that the Lord will strengthen your faith and deepen your walk with Him, so that His love is poured out in your home. May He help each of you to forgive as you have been forgiven, to be kind and humble toward one another, and to reflect His love in all you do. May His presence dwell in your family as you dwell in His love, and may He bind you together in true unity in Jesus name, Amen.
