Help, I'm A Parent!Sample

  

Introduction

As parents, we love our children, but because we are imperfect people, we sometimes find it challenging to demonstrate that love unconditionally. We might be tempted to respond to the failures and faults of our children in ways that are less than perfect. Our actions can impact our lives and our children’s lives for a long time. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian Christians defines love and sets the bar for what we should model in our relationships with our children.

Pray

God, I desire to love my children unconditionally. Open my heart to receive your instruction and live out your Word. 

Read

Paul provides a detailed definition of love.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Reflect

When a recipe is not followed correctly, the result is often not good. We end up with a dish we’re not proud of and that people cannot enjoy. Recipe items are portioned just right, and if the cooking/baking instructions are followed closely, the result is almost guaranteed. We can read today’s focus Scripture like a recipe that lists some of love’s ingredients. When mixed together, the product is a demonstration of love that “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

Respond

What aspect of love do you find most difficult to express to your children? Pause now to pray about those areas. Ask God to help you love your children in a manner that reflects this Scripture passage. You may also spend some time meditating on the passage while listening to the contemporary song, “One Thing Remains” by Jesus Culture or the traditional hymn, “The Love of God” by Frederick M. Lehman, both of which remind us that we are loved by our heavenly Father.