Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – June 21, 2020
I love each of you with the same love that the Father loves me. You must continually let my love nourish your hearts. If you keep my commands, you will live in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands, for I continually live nourished and empowered by his love. John 15:9-10, The Passion Translation
Love is the language Jesus leaves with His followers, even as He approaches the greater example of love—His redeeming death. Beautifully our Lord lays out a form of love never before lived out until this moment in history. The love of His heavenly Father is Christ’s model of love for His disciples. A love providing abundant affirmation that He was a son with whom His father was well pleased. A love that led Him into the wilderness to be tempted, yet without sin. A love that allowed Jesus to suffer with the comfort of knowing He was living out God’s will, not His own.
How are you loved by Jesus? In the same way He was loved by His heavenly Father. A love that continues no matter the circumstance in which you find yourself. If you feel alone, nothing can separate you from the ever present love of God. If you feel incompetent, you have full access to the most competent wisdom of the Father to guide you. If the enemy has shamed you into thinking you are a failure as a father, you have the limitless forgiveness of Jesus’ love to receive and be healed. If you are beat down and discouraged as a dad, the Holy Spirit’s loving strength can lift you up. The love of your heavenly Father nourishes your soul, so you can give love to your precious family!
“I have loved you as the Father has loved Me. Abide in My love. Follow My example in obeying the Father’s commandments and receiving His love. If you obey My commandments, you will stay in My love” (John 15:9-10, The Voice).
You abide in Christ’s love and He provides love. How? By obeying His commands. Obey His command to forgive and you will experience His loving forgiveness that offers freedom to your soul that frees you to love freely. Obey His command to not provoke your child, but with patient love lead him to grow into a better version of himself. Love is a resource for your heart to build a bridge of trust to your child’s heart. Obey His command to lovingly train and teach your child, and you will equip her with the emotional skills to love others well. And when your children are grown they will want to come home to be loved and to love. Obey and you will stay in Christ’s love.
Fathers who are loved well, love well. So remain intimately at home in God’s love and your home will explode with multi-color love like grand finale fireworks on the 4th of July. As the father’s love goes, so goes the love of the family. Grow your capacity to love and your children will have a model of their heavenly Father’s love to emulate. Loving well is active not passive. A man who loves well does not wait in fear, but initiates in love. A father who loves well, looks for ways to love his wife well, knowing a healthy marriage—next to Jesus, is the best gift they can give their children. Your love brings peace to your home, because love is at home in your home.
“I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. That’s what I’ve done—kept my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love” (John 15:9-10, The Message).
Here is a poem I dedicated to Fathers who are loved well:
Fathers who are loved well, love well,
Fathers who are loved well, drink often from the deep well of their Heavenly Father’s love,
Fathers who are loved by perfect love, are free from fear,
Fathers who are loved by forgiving love, are quick to apologize and to forgive,
Fathers who are loved by patient love, are gentle and caring,
Fathers who are loved by wise love, walk with the wise,
Fathers who are loved by guilt free love, maintain no regrets,
Fathers who are loved by shameless love, experience no condemnation,
Fathers who are loved by affectionate love, help others become the best version of themselves,
Fathers who are loved by attentive love, train and teach the ways of the Lord,
Fathers who are loved by unconditional love, offer the gift of love with no expectations,
Fathers who finish well are loved well, amen.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, grow my heart of love so I can love my family well, in Jesus’ name, amen.
Related Reading
Proverbs 22:6; Matthew 6:14-15; Ephesians 6:1-2; James 1:5
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A father who loves well, loves his wife well, knowing a healthy marriage—next to Jesus, is the best gift he can give his children. #wisdomhunters #Jesus
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