Written by Christine Ross
Love Never Fails…
4 Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. 5 Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. 6 Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. 7 Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up.
1st Corinthians 13:4-7 (The Passsion Translation)
Today, we’re focusing on praying for our families. As we do that, how about reflecting on our family relationships and how we are doing when it comes to loving our family members? Love is the key in so many things and not any different when it comes to our family relationships. The verses above are a popular reference point when it comes to looking at what love looks like. Many times, we can apply these attributes to others but forget that we should do the same with our family members. If you aren’t, then you should start there first.
We all have different experiences when it comes to family relationships, but one thing is for sure – they are pivotal. Friends may come and go but family is always there, or should be. We celebrate milestones with them, when things aren’t going as they should or when we’re hurting, like many are today, we can share our worries & fears with them – get encouragement, hope, nurturing, healing from one another.
On the other hand, as much as we love our families there are times when we don’t get along, are hurt by them or we’ve hurt them. For some, family relationships haven’t been the best experience – maybe continued strife, broken homes. No matter where you fall on the scale, we as CHRIST Followers still need to love – family included. I think many times we can take family for granted and even treat others better than we do them. We can be quick to say, “I do love my family”. Sure, but lets re-read the verses above and see how we’re faring…
So, as we pray for our families today, let’s pray by coming from a place of love – let’s pray these verses. Even if it’s hard, we have The Helper, The Holy Spirit. He’s in us and will help us to do so. HE can help show us how to love our family, where we ourselves need to improve. Let’s pray for God’s provision, protection, unification, reconciliation, forgiveness, strengthening, amongst many other things over our families. Let Love lead in everything that we do because as vs. 8 of this chapter starts by saying, “Love never fails…” (NKJV).
City Life Starter 
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