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Welcome to iwantthemtoremember.com! This is the second day of a week of Valentine’s Devotions for Families using Biblical passages on love.
If your family is at all like mine, you need Biblical reminders of how to love one another all year long, but the Valentine season is a great time to emphasize God’s teachings on love. Spend a week in February (or anytime really) encouraging your family to love with Valentine’s devotions. I suggest you start the Sunday before Valentine’s and celebrate love all week, but you can use them however is best for your family. Links for each day will be added at the end of each post as they are completed. I pray these Valentine’s Devotions bless your family in Christ.
Opening Activity
Enlist two family members to read the following skit. Really ham it up with drama and expression. (Read from the skit below, or download and print. Then you can fold it to fit in your Bible.
Reader 1: LOVE is patient. Love IS patient. Love is PATIENT. Love is . . .
Reader 2: (interrupting, jumping in front of Reader 1) Love is KIIIIIIND!
Reader 1: Wait a minute! I wasn’t through!
Reader 2: You’re too slow. Besides, I’m better at it. Now go on.
Reader 1: It does not envy. . . Hey, what makes you think you’re better?
Reader 2: They wouldn’t have asked me to do this if I wasn’t the best… It does not boast?
Reader 1: (Over emphasize and look at reader 2) It is not PROUD.
Reader 2: It is NOT rude. . . See I am better.
Reader 1: It is not self-seeking. Wait a minute! (almost yelling) You are NOT better. I can read just as well as you!
Reader 2: It is not easily angered. (Quietly) If you yell at me again, I’m quitting.
Reader 1: Well, you started it.
Reader 2: Love keeps no record of wrongs.
Reader 1: Well, I guess you got me there. (hug each other)
Reader 2: Love does not delight in evil . . .
Reader 1: But rejoices in the truth.
Reader 2: It always protects
Reader 1: Always hopes.
Reader 2: Always perseveres.
Together: Love never fails.
Reader 1: Hey, wait a minute. Doesn’t the Bible say that God is love?
Reader 2: Yeah, so?
Reader 1: So God must be all of these things.
Reader 2: Okay, let’s try again.
Reader 1: God is patient.
Reader 2: God is kind.
Reader 1: God does not envy.
Reader 2: God does not boast.
Reader 1: God is not proud.
Reader 2: He is not rude.
Reader 1: He is not self-seeking.
Reader 2: He is not easily angered.
Reader 1: God keeps no record of wrongs.
Reader 2: God does not delight in evil
Reader 1: But rejoices with the truth.
Reader 2: God always protects.
Reader 1: Always trusts.
Reader 2: Always hopes.
Reader 1: Always perseveres.
Together: God never fails.
Reader 2: God sure is a lot better at this love stuff than we are.
Reader 1: Yeah, you’re right.
Together: God is LOVE.
Scripture Study
Yesterday, we studied about how God wants us to use our gifts with love. Without that essential ingredient, all of our service is for nothing. Paul doesn’t just say do these things with love and leave it at that. He goes on to tell us what love is.
Paul’s definition of love is pretty self-explanatory. He tells us what it is and what it is not. We don’t really have to ask what the Bible means when it says love is patient or kind, but sometimes it helps to look closer at what those words mean.
First, let’s look at what love is.
Love is patient. What does it meant to be patient? (All family to share, then read the definition from the Webster’s 1828 Dictionary below.
Patient: Having the quality of enduing evils without murmuring or fretfulness; sustaining afflictions of body or mind with fortitude, calmness or christian submission to the divine will. 2. Not easily provoked; calm under the sufferance of injuries or offenses
Love is kind. What does it mean to be kind? (Allow family to share, then read this definition from the Webster’s 1828 Dictionary.)
Kind: Disposed to do good to others, and to make them happy by granting their requests, supplying their wants or assisting them in distress; having tenderness or goodness of nature
Patience and kindness are the primary characteristics of love. Just being an overall nice person stands out in a world where so many look out only for themselves.
Now, let’s look at what love isn’t.
Love is not jealous. When we love others we are glad when they receive things or are successful instead of wanting those things for ourselves.
Love is not arrogant. Those who are arrogant or conceited think they are better than other people. The opposite of arrogant is humble. Those who love see all as equally made in the image of God.
Love is not provoked or easily angered. Provoked is really the opposite of patient. Sometimes we show our lack of love by becoming very quickly irritated or even angry at even small offenses.
Next, we’ll discuss what love does not do.
Love does not brag or boast. Bragging seeks to bring attention to ourselves and goes along with the arrogant attitude that is not a part of love.
Love does not act unbecomingly or rude. Instead, it is considerate of the feelings of others.
Love does not seek its own. Its seeks the good of those loved.
Love does not take into account a wrong suffered or keep a record of wrongs. Rather than holding a grudge, love readily forgives. When we are upset and bring up past offenses, we are keeping a record of wrongs instead of showing love.
Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness. When we love others, sin in our lives and in the lives of others causes sorrow.
Finally, Paul tells us what love does.
Love rejoices with the truth. It has no room for deception. Those who love lead others to Jesus who is the Truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things all things and endures all things.
Wow, what a list. They all point back to the first characteristics of kindness and patience. When we love, we can put up with a lot, give the benefit of a doubt, and believe the best about others through good and bad.
Love never fails — In our human weakness, we fail often, but love, when it is shown in the sense described in 1 Corinthians 13, never fails. Love never fails because God is love and He never fails.
Family Affirmation and Application
We know those who are jealous or braggers. We even know how hold grudges. We can easily understand what godly love is and isn’t, but the hard part is learning to live a life of love.
Take time to affirm one characteristic of love that is present in each family member. (Either the parent can say them all, or assign each family member another person.)
Examples: “Love is patient and mom was really patient today when I spilled the milk.” “Love is kind and Maya is very kind to new people she meets.”
Now, which one of these characteristics of what love is or isn’t do you need God to help you show?( Each family member share one problem area as a prayer.)
Example: “Father, please help me be kind when my sister wants me to play with her.” “God, please help me to really forgive instead of keeping a records when someone makes me angry.” “God, I know love is not selfish, so help me put others first.”
Worship through Song
If time permits, listen to Love Never Fails by Brandon Heath. Show it on the television or computer if possible.
Closing Prayer
Father, You’ve told us what love is and isn’t. You’ve told us what love does and does do. Yet, we fail so much every day. Please change our hearts. Put Your love in our hearts and teach us to love like You do. In Jesus name, amen.
More Valentine’s Devotions for Families
Thank you for joining me for Valentine’s Devotions for Families. I am sharing this with my children and youth group because I want them to remember the importance of living a life of love. I hope it helps your loved ones remember as well.
To continue with Seven Days of Valentine’s Devotions for Families, return here for the that links will be added below or subscribe at the top right to receive them by email.
Day Three: How He Loves
Day Four: Love God
Day Five: Love Others
Day Six: Love Yourself
Day Seven: True Love
