She Is Yours: A Parent & Daughter DevotionalSample

SHE IS BELOVED

For You

Does your daughter feel loved? It’s a good question to ask. After all, you probably ask yourself the same question. You ask it when your spouse talks to you in a way that makes you feel “less than.” You ask it in your broken heart when you don’t get the raise you were hoping for. You ask it in sorrow and repentance when you overreact to a mistake your daughter made.

I know this is true from personal experience. Less than 24 hours ago, I raised my voice at my daughter because she decided to try to open the Fruit Loops. I asked her to wait for me, but she couldn’t. As a result, the entire bag exploded onto the kitchen floor. Immediately, our dog started cleaning up the mess before we could. I was a bit of a mess myself to say the least. Sadly, I took offense at my daughter’s actions and showed little love in the moment.

It’s easy for me to respond with quick aggravation instead of love. But God responds to my sin, mistakes, and brokenness with patience and empathy.

We need to remember that we convey our love for our children most effectively in the moments when they feel the least deserving of it.

On my worst days, when I’m feeling unloved, I remember John 3:16. If you ever wonder whether you are adored, just replay this verse in your mind and remind yourself that you are loved. You know that God cherishes you because He tells you so in the Bible, and Jesus demonstrated it in His actions. Even on your worst day, remember that He gave Himself for you.

We learn at an early age whether we are loved and valued. Your daughter craves love and will go to any length possible to find it. Thank God she has you! You are her primary source for love. If she knows that you love her and that you are willing to go to any length possible to pursue, defend, protect, teach, and gently correct her, then she is much less likely to look for love in the wrong places. In addition, your relentless love for her will give her the best possible opportunity to understand God’s love for her in Jesus Christ. If you model love for her, she will get a glimpse of the ultimate love from her Savior.

For Her

[Your daughter’s name], do you have any idea how much I love you? When you were born, I didn’t realize I could love a person as much as I love you. My love for you is not determined by what you do. I love you simply because I love you!

This may be hard for you to imagine, but there is someone who loves you even more than I do! God loves you more than I ever could. You are His beloved.

People don’t use the word “beloved” very much anymore, but it’s actually a really special word. Here’s why. Throughout the Bible, God uses the word “beloved” because He wants you to know what you are supposed to do—you are to “be loved.” You know the word “be” is a verb, right? If I told you to be nice, to be quiet, or to be still, you would know exactly what I was telling you to do, right?

Well, God is telling you to be loved! He does not say that you are His beloved only when you perform appropriately, or that you will be loved more when you make fewer mistakes. Instead, God wants you to know that no matter what, you are always being loved by Him.

Now do you see why I think that word is so special? Knowing that you are being loved by God gives you comfort when you are sad, it gives you confidence when you are afraid, it and gives you joy always!

Conversation Starter

Share with your family one thing that makes you feel loved by God. It could be something in the Bible, an activity, or even a place you go. Ask them to share something that reminds them that you love them. Then ask them to share something that reminds them that God loves them.

Extra Reading

Luke 10:25-37 shows us what real love looks like in action. It’s a reminder of how God loves us and how we should love others.

Inspired by She Is Yours authored by Wynter and Jonathan Pitts