Overflowing Love in Family Life

1 Peter 4:8-11
Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Keeping passion, determination and being intentional toward loving one another in family life is critical to the health of each home. So often we allow our God created differences and our unmet expectations to get in the way of portraying that fervent love Peter is writing about in this passage. His words “above all” stand in the context of his exhortation to believers as to how to live out Christ in their lives…and he states “above all keep fervent in your love”. “Fervent” denotes stretching or straining and pictures a person running with taut muscles, exerting maximum effort. Ancient Greek literature used the word to describe a horse stretching out and running at full speed. Fervent in love embodies what is needed in believers homes today…that above all else we are to “keep being determined”, “keep being passionate”, “stay in stride with maximum effort” in loving. So often today’s love is too dependent and the quick and easy rather than determination.

It is that kind of love that has the ability to give and receive forgiveness of wrongs, and it is also that kind of love that seeks restoration and reconciliation that includes life change. Notice Peter also states in a loving home, hospitality and the act of grace and meeting needs is to be offered without complaining. Parents, this one is huge…we must make sure that we model this attribute for our children. If they observe our constant complaints in carrying out the ministry of hospitality in meeting needs in the household, there is good chance they will complain about the chores and responsibilities laid out before them. To be true to the principle of offering hospitality to others we must first learn to offer it to our family.

Finally, Peter addresses the need of each family to use the special gift that each has received to serve one another as good stewards of the grace God has extended to us. He points out that the giftedness of each person is to serve one another not self and that our serving is to be done as one who is serving not in our own giftedness or strength but by the strength which God Himself supplies. Many times our weariness comes from our attempting to serve and love those in our home and around us in our abilities, strength and with our love. It is only when we truly receive His strength; love and grace are we able to be fervent in our love and hospitable without complaint.

Prayer – Father, teach and remind me daily as you pursue me and I seek after you, of my need to die to self daily, to keep fervent in my love for you that your love may permeate my heart, soul and mind. Enable me that my love might be fervent for others, especially my family and that my service to my home will come from your strength.

Grateful,
Marty