Daily Devotions

Monday, February 09, 2009

 

Current Study: Love         

 

Today’s Topic: Say the Words

 

Today’s Scripture:  1 Corinthians 16:13-14  Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love. 

 

Today on my favorite morning radio show – which I only get to listen to for a few minutes as I drive to the office – the two hosts were debating whether or not men like to receive Valentine’s Day gifts. Mark believed they do. Matt said they didn’t. Mark said men need to hear that they are loved. Matt said it’s all about the man showing the woman she is loved. At one point Matt even said, “Valentine’s Day is so girly!”

 

Well, I have to side with Mark on this one. Valentine’s day is about the expression of love. Now historically it may be true that the emphasis has been on what men do for women, but women want to express their love as much as men do. Maybe Matt isn’t so concerned about getting a gift or a card because gifts and words of affirmation are not his love languages. Have you ever studied the love languages? In case you haven’t, we’re going to take a quick look at them this Valentine’s week so you have the information you need to express your love in the most appropriate way. After all, you don’t want the expression of your love to go unnoticed or unappreciated.

 

According to author Gary Chapman there are five love languages, and we all track heavily towards one of them. The five languages are –

§         Words of Affirmation

§         Quality Time

§         Receiving Gifts

§         Acts of Service

§         Physical Touch

If you want to study them in detail, go to http://www.fivelovelanguages.com/learn.html. I want to share just a few suggestions from each of them this week. Because the main issue on this morning’s radio show started with the subject of cards, let’s begin with the love language of words – words of affirmation.

 

This morning I received an email from a famous pastor. It wasn’t a personal one – it was his weekly devotional he writes. Here’s what James MacDonald of Walk In The Word has to say about the language of love.

 

One of the most powerful ways to communicate love to the people in your life is with words. Words matter. Yes, actions are necessary to back them up, but at the end of the day, you’ve just got to get some things said. Make it your goal to get these four phrases in your weekly, if not daily, vocabulary:

1: I love you.

Men, the key is to say it deliberately. Don’t mumble it into the phone and then hang up. “Whew. I said it and it didn’t get messy at all.” Yeah well, it needs to get a little messy. Get her in your arms, look in her eyes, and get it said: “I love you.” Or pull your kids to you, no matter their age and speak the words. They may fidget, but they’ll remember and be altered by your genuine expressions of love.

2: I need you.

I’ve been praying that the bedrooms of every married couple reading this will ring with these words. How about it, men? In your private moments, tell that woman who has stood by you how much you need her. Go ahead: “My actions may sometimes communicate the opposite, but I want you to know that I know I really need you.”

3: There is no one like you.

OK, ladies. Every man is one among millions. At work, he’s one among thousands. At church, he’s one among hundreds. So when he walks through that door each night, he desperately needs to know he is your one and only. He’s first, highest, and best. Tell him.

And that leads to . . .

4: I thank God for you.

Tell your beloved spouse, children, and parents that they are a gift from God to you. Better yet, pray aloud together. Let them overhear you tell the Lord how grateful you are that God gave them to you. Wives, tell your husband, “Honey, you’ve worked so hard lately and I so appreciate the way you try to take care of our family and the energy and effort that you put into providing for us. Thanks for being a faithful man.” Husbands, look for your opportunities to say, “Babe, thanks for one of the greatest meals I have ever had. What you made tonight was fit for a king.” And after she picks herself up off the floor, she’ll be like, “Uh, thanks.”

 

Get the words said. Yes, it really matters. Expressing your love is a huge piece of making your spouse and your family the priority, lifelong relationship that God designed for you and that you all desperately want.

 

Great stuff. Let’s put it into practice. Let’s start speaking the language of love. Come on – say the words.

 

Pastor John