Today is the 3rd and last day that I will be bringing the devotional of the day from the “Love Language Minute Devotional” as it relates to today, Valentines Day 2020. Gary Chapman wrote “Love Language Minute Devotional” to help couples communicate better. “After thirty years of counseling couples, I’m convinced there are five
different ways we speak and understand emotional love—five love languages.
Each of us has a primary love language; one of the five speaks to us more
profoundly than the other four.”
It’s a skill that can be applied in all of our relationships in life, not only in marriage.
After reading the devotional of the day this Bible verse came to mind,
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Love Language Minute Devotional – February 14
Taking the Initiative to Love
God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 1 John 4:9-11
I believe our deepest emotional need is the need to feel loved. If we are married, the person we most want to love us is our spouse. If we feel loved by our spouse, the whole world looks bright. If we do not feel loved, the whole world looks dark. However, we don’t get love by complaining or making demands.
One man told me, “If my wife would just be a little more affectionate, then I could be responsive to her. But when she gives me no affection, I want to stay away from her.” He is waiting to receive love before he gives love. Someone must take the initiative. Why must it be the other person?
Why are we so slow to understand that the initiative to love is always with us? God is our example. We love God because he first loved us (see 1 John 4:19). He loved us even when we were sinful, even when we weren’t responsive, even when we had done nothing to deserve it. That’s the ultimate example of love that takes the initiative. If you choose to give your spouse unconditional love and learn how to express love in a language your spouse can feel, there is every possibility that your spouse will reciprocate. Love begets love.
Father, you have shown us the way to love—unconditionally, by taking the initiative and not waiting for the other person to reciprocate. Please help me to express that kind of love to my spouse.
Jesus Is The Aleph & The Tav, The Alpha & The Omega, The First & The Last
א ת Jesus Α Ω א ת Jesus Α Ω א ת Jesus Α Ω א ת Jesus Α Ω א ת Jesus Α Ω א ת Jesus Α Ω
Our Dear Heavenly Father has and always will take the initiative in bringing Love in a desire that we build a stronger relationship with Him. He desires that we do the same with others, especially those in our realm of influence and even more so with the single person that we should be “one” with.
I was introduced to “Love Languages Minute Devotional” by readings from it that were in my Tecarta Bible app from time to time that has a scripture of the day and a short devotional also. I almost expected the Tecarta app to have a devotional reading from the “Love Languages” book for today since it’s Valentines Day. I was correct in assuming that. Tecarta Bible App Devotional Feb. 14,2020 https://tbibl.es/96T2
Fostering Oneness
I want [believers] to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. Colossians 2:2
The Scriptures indicate that husbands and wives are to become “one” (see Genesis 2:24). They are to share life to such a degree that they have a sense of unity, or togetherness. In the verse above, the apostle Paul states his vision for believers: that they would be “knit together” or “united in love” (niv). This is critical for all believers and even more so for marriage partners. Would you describe your marriage like this?
- “We are a team.”
- “We know each other.”
- “We understand each other.”
- “We choose to walk in step with each other.”
- “Our lives are inseparably bound together.”
- “We are one.”
These are the statements of happily married couples. Such togetherness does not happen without a lot of communication. Communication is a two-way street. I talk and you listen; you talk and I listen. It is this simple process that develops understanding and togetherness.
How much time do you spend in conversation with your spouse each day? Do you have a daily sharing time? How consistent are you in keeping this appointment? In the next few devotions, we’ll explore ways to enhance communication and increase oneness.
Lord Jesus, I know you desire us to be united as a couple. I pray that we will grow in togetherness, in teamwork, in understanding, and in our sense of oneness. Please show us how to do that.
In The Word 