Not just ordinary love, but fervent love!
1 Peter 4:7, 8 says: “The end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all things have FERVENT LOVE among yourselves: for love shall cover the multitude of sins.”
God intends the family to be the greatest institution on earth. We are living in a world where the home and family is being attacked, and in many cases, abandoned. Abandoned by fathers who have never been taught the importance of their role in raising and providing for their family’s needs.
Mothers likewise have abandoned their nests for the glamor of the corporate world. They do not realize they are destroying the “cradles” that become the next generation, children who were destined to be born to make the world a better place.
Marriage and family are the first institutions God created and marriage was mandated to be fruitful and multiply and rule over the whole earth (Genesis 1:26-28). The importance of the family should never be underestimated, and if so, we do to our own peril.
Love begins in the marriage and is revealed and manifested in the raising of the nuclear family which means “father, mother, and children.”
The family is the primary institution where the graces and character of our Creator God should be taught. Dedicated parents, who understand the importance of their respective roles will mirror these roles to their children, along with revelation of God’s character.
We should not mistake God’s love for the casual, half-hearted love we often experience today. God’s love is hot and intense. It does not come from our fallen nature but directly from the new nature provided by the new birth in Christ. It is best taught by example from the moment the child is born, continuing day by day throughout the child’s learning years.
There should never be a doubt in the child’s mind that his/her parents do not love them with heart-felt fervency. This is the way God loves us and expects us to love one another. This kind of love is the essential element of the Christian family home.
To be continued.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell