Love and Respect 3-19-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Come form Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart. As best as I can and all by Your grace, I yield mine to Yours. … "Each of you, however, should love his wife as himself, and a wife should respect her husband" (Ephesians 5:33). Love and respect -- loving one another, honoring one another, giving and receiving the gift and grace of God's love through the covenant bond of marriage to one another. These are keys of the kingdom to know Your peace and joy in our homes and hearts. These are weapons of our warfare in the onslaught of attack from the influences of the world, the flesh, and the devil. These are words of truth and life that we must learn to embrace and live if our lives and relationships are going to honor our God. Give us the desire and the power to give and receive the love and respect we were created to need. According to Emerson Eggerichs in his book, Love & Respect, and the Focus on the Family marriage conferences he and his wife Sarah lead, marriages have little chance of surviving without understanding the need for both love and respect. They say according to biblical principles and scientific research, a woman receives her primary sense of security in being loved and a man receives his primary sense of security in being respected. While we all need both, it seems women especially need love and men especially need respect, whether we deserve it or not (1 Peter 3:1-7). We may not love or respect all that they do, but we can choose, by God's grace, to love and respect who they are, as sons and daughters of God. When we don't receive what we need, we are in danger of destruction. But if we will humble ourselves to hear Your voice and call on Your name, You will empower us to choose healing instead hurting, fulfillment instead of emptiness, resurrection life instead of hopeless destruction. Yes, there is always the thief who "comes only to steal and kill and destroy" but there is also always the Redeemer and Healer and Deliverer who comes that we "may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10). Through the grace to choose to love and respect, You protect, nurture, and empower our lives, our marriages, and our relationships to honor You and fulfill us. "Ah Lord God! It is You who made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and with Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for You" (Jeremiah 32:17). "For nothing will be impossible with God" (Luke 1:37). My Lord God, into Your hands I commit my heart and my home. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Subscribe by email to me at Messiah Ministries --MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order My Book, Morning by Morning, and our Ministry Resources or Contribute to our vision and calling: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org