Love               

by Cathy Madavan

Read

Psalm 117

Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For great is his love towards us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever (vs1-2).

Reflect

Isn’t it interesting how children are so totally different? I’m amazed at how our two girls take such alternative approaches to life. One thrives in maths, logic and deadlines; the other loves creating, relating and takes a more relaxed approach. Likewise, my husband and I are a case study in how two totally opposite temperaments can live in the same house without driving each other crazy. (Well, most of the time!)

Unsurprisingly then, we each show our love to one other and to God in different ways. Some of us are more expressive and others more introverted. Some of us love discovering more about God by studying the Bible, and others are more likely to connect in worship or by admiring God’s wonderful creation. The important thing is not how we respond to his great love towards us, but that we do praise and love him in our own way.

Learning to love

One of the joys of having small children is being able to point to God’s goodness in the everyday circumstances around us. We can admire a rainbow and be reminded of his promises, we can pray and give thanks for the kindness of people, we can paint pictures for God or learn verses that remind us of his love.

Learning to integrate our relationships with God into our conversations and activities is not only a wonderful discipline, but also a delight – for us as well as our children.

Leaning into love

As our children grow and we see their unique personality flourish, it’s fascinating to see how they are wired to show love to others and God. One of my girls is motivated by working with children, the other is more passionate about justice issues. One is more tactile, the other more verbal. They respond differently to how they receive love but also how they serve and worship and lean into loving others. As author Gary Chapman says, we each have our own ‘Love Language.’*

Have you have ever considered how members of your family best give and receive love in their own unique way?

Respond

What a wonderful calling it is to discover more about love together in our family. How do you each best express and receive love?

Invite the Holy Spirit to remind you again of the Father’s love for you and every member of your family. Spend some time receiving that love and praying about how best to show his love to those around you today.

*Find out more about the Five Love Languages at www.5lovelanguages.com

Catch up on the rest of Be Refreshed on the blog.