“This is My command: Love each other.” (John 15:17) Any questions?
Simple, right? Not easy! But, simple.
To live a life without regrets, we each must obey Jesus “love one another, just as He commanded us.” (1 John 3:23) and “Do whatever He tells you.” (John 2:5)
As we approach Saint Valentine’s Day next Monday, I’d like to share a few scriptures and thoughts that I’ve learned from over 26 total years of faithful marriage, and from 22 years of parenting 9 children, plus a few nuggets of wisdom from the teachings of Dr. Tony Evans (*). Love is sacrifice.
Love is more often an action verb than a noun or a feeling.
Love is not modified by an adjective, but demonstrated by a verb. Love is a decision to sacrificially and compassionately seek the best well-being of another, regardless of how you feel. Love is an action – to serve the needs of others at personal expense. Love always costs you something. Love focuses on other’s greatest needs – particularly to be saved and sanctified. When you love, you learn to embrace inconvenience and to willingly surrender your rights. As parents, we learn this repeatedly from the time of conception and the moment of birth – through incessant diaper changes and late-night feedings – through the demands of adolescence, and beyond into teenage years and adulthood.
Loving your family means giving up your life for them. “We know what real love is because Jesus gave up His life for us. So, we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.” (1 John 3:16)
The perfection of love is found on the Cross of Christ. Jesus’ outstretched arms are always ready to receive us. Jesus’ pierced Sacred Heart of Divine Mercy is ready to forgive us by His blood and cleanse us through the waters of rebirth. Jesus’ hands and feet are nailed to the cross, demonstrating that He sacrifices His entire life to the point of death, waiting for us to come to Him and seek forgiveness.
“For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’sword.” (Ephesians 5:25-26)
Husbands, you are to love your wife and family as Christ loves the church. That means you love them to death! Are your arms always open, always ready to embrace them unreservedly? Do you consistently pour out your heart in unconditional mercy and forgiveness? Are you fully committed to your marriage covenant, with your hands and feet “nailed” to your marriage and family, saying in effect, “I’m not going anywhere. I’m committed to stay here until I die!”? Do you love your wife and children as God loves us? God’s character is our model for LOVE: “The LORD is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.” (Psalm 145:8)
Husbands and wives, love one another. Serve each other sacrificially. Celebrate your love by performing a meaningful act of kindness for each other. Pray earnestly together for your marriage and family on your knees before the Cross, dedicating and consecrating yourselves to Christ. Husbands, write her a brief love-note each morning. (I do for my wife, nearly every day.) Most importantly, tell her you love her every time you see her. Tell her how beautiful she is and how important she is to you. Tell her “thank you” for all she does for you and your family. Meaningfully. Trust me, you’ll never regret it!
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Loveeach other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.” (John 13:34)
Parents, cherish your children intentionally. Love them. Spend time with them. Have fun together. Be present, without the distractions of screens or electronic devices.
Valentine’s Day symbolizes love. “God IS love” 1 John 4:8
“Jesus, You have given me to know and understand in what a soul’s greatness consists: not in great deeds but in great love. Love has its worth, and it confers greatness on all our deeds. Although our actions are small and ordinary in themselves, because of love, they become great and powerful before God.” Divine Mercy in My Soul # 889