2005-03-26 - Love, Honor and Praise in Action

Hello my friends!

Today I would like to share a devotional about Love, Honor and Praise in Action through a Biblical family. It comes from a family that most people don't think about when they think of a Biblical family. However, it really is one.

The Biblical Family is: God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, also known as the God Head

The Scripture Passage is: Matthew 3:16-17

Mt 3:16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he came up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened. Jesus saw the Spirit of God coming down on him like a dove. ¹⁷ A voice from heaven said, ´This is my Son, and I love him. I am very pleased with him.

The Major Truth: Love, Honor and Praise in Action

The Important Details are: In verse 16, Jesus and John the Baptist, and others around, witnessed God's physical expression toward Jesus through the Holy Spirit. And in verse 17, God actively verbalized his love and praise for His Son Christ, for all to see.

So what?: I believe this is an example to us of how we should express our Love, Honor, and Praise to our spouse and family members. Don't hold back giving your love, honor and praise when you are in public. Love your spouse or family members by hugging them and telling them that you love them, in public as well as private. It's is honoring to love and be loved at all times, in public and in private. Gary Smalley says, in his book "Making Love Last Forever," that praise will "energize your spouse."

Illustration: This can be as simple as appreciating your spouse or family members by hugging and praising them for who they are, or for something they do. Simply saying 'I love you' is very valuable. If you don't do it, regularly start today.

It can be done anywhere - for instance in a shopping mall, a restaurant, or a store, the car, a taxicab or even the bus. I believe it should be done, because it's part of who we are inside. It should flow out of us like the fruit of the Spirit. We shouldn't hide it, because it's who we are, and reveals that we are set apart from the world as Christians.

Personal Experience: As I grew up, I learned that we can all be cruel. I can only love the people that maliciously taunted me or beat me up as a child. Joseph told his brothers in Genesis 45:5 that what they meant for his harm, God used for good.

Conclusion: We should truly express our love publicly to our spouse and family members; it's valuable and energizing.

God Bless You!
Rob

rob@cfdevotionals.org
http://www.cfdevotionals.org

I want my life to be for the glory of God