Love Endures

A father and his little girl were waiting at the pharmacy.

You know how this story is about to go . . .

The little girl climbed into a chair, under a chair, crawled through a few more chairs, dropped magazines on the floor, got close to people, tried scaling a shelf, etc.

“You’re such a nightmare!” her dad finally huffed in exasperation. They locked eyes briefly, but she continued with her activities when he looked back at his phone.

But she doesn’t want to be his nightmare. She wants to be his princess, the star in his eyes. She wants to be loved beyond her faults and her weaknesses. She wants to be loved with an everlasting love, unfailing, unconditional. A love that protects, hopes, trusts, and perseveres. She wants to be loved like Jesus loves us and calls us to love each other.

That kind of love is seen in our words and actions.

But I am like an olive tree growing in God’s house, and I can count on his love forever and ever.

Psalm 52:8 (CEV)

Dealing with children in public requires awareness of age-appropriate behavior, patience, proper expectations, and humility. At the base of every parental discipline, especially with our words, needs to be the solid ground of love that believes in the potential the Lord put in them.

And to give that kind of love, we must receive it from God. Our hope is not in being perfect or having perfect kids. Our hope is in a perfect God who loves us perfectly and endlessly despite our failures.

PRAY

Lord God, thank you for believing in me and helping me to be better. Help me show this kind of love to my children. Our hope is in you. Amen.

TIME TO TALK

Conversation starter for kids: Provides you with questions and prompts to facilitate a time of applicable discussion with children to lead them towards knowing God and His Word more deeply.

Question(s):What embarrasses you? Do you think we embarrass God?

Apply: As you read or talk about Bible stories, discuss how God loves his people in each one.

KEEP IT GOING

Related passages: These additional verses will help parents expand Scriptural knowledge and place on the armor of God’s Word to tackle each day. Swipe to read the passages today.

1 Corinthians 13:7

John 13:34

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Tonia Gutting wrote this devotional for the Hero Squad Program of the American Bible Society. Hero Squad provides complimentary faith-based resources to strengthen and encourage Military families through God’s Word. For more information or to enroll your Military family, check out our website.www.myherosquad.org.