The gifts you sent … are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. Philippians 4:18
Emperor Shah Jahan of Agra, India, must have loved his wife very much. When the empress died, he built her a magnificent mausoleum, the Taj Mahal. It is made of marble, trimmed with precious stones: jade, agate, jasper, onyx, and diamonds. Completed in 1645, it is one of the most elegant structures ever built.
Not every man can pay such an architectural tribute to his wife. What is more, it is not necessary. Love can express itself in less pretentious ways. True love can turn a humble cottage into a sparkling castle. A popular song in the 1920s was “My Blue Heaven.” It described a small home with a fireplace, a cozy room, “a little nest that’s nestled where the roses bloom.” There was also the smiling face of Molly, the wife, and the happy baby when the husband and father came home from a day’s work.
Faithful spouses don’t need jeweled tombs, for they themselves are jewels. The writer of the book of Proverbs declares: “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies” (Proverbs 31:10). The same can be said of a loving, loyal husband. And children are precious to the parents and vice versa. According to a story in a school reader, a Roman mother refused to be embarrassed for her lack of rings and bracelets. When asked, “Where are your jewels?” she called in her children and said, “These are my jewels.”
Love is the prime ingredient of a happy home and family. Happiness results when spouses love each other as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her. That was love expressed not in mere words but in a deed – in the deed of sacrificing His life for the salvation of all.
Human beings are not perfect. Consequently misunderstandings will arise. Then it is time to ask for forgiveness, as Saint Paul writes: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).
PRAYER: O Lord God, help me to grow in love and in appreciation of the members of my family. Amen.
(Devotions from "With Jesus Every Day" copyright 1997, CPH. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be printed, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Concordia Publishing House. Permission is granted for one-time emailing of this link to a friend. For information on other devotional material, please contact CPH at 800-325-3040 or visit CPH at www.cph.org.)
Today's Bible Readings: Psalms 39-41 John 12:27-50
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