Notes of Faith February 15, 2025
The Four Loves: Storge—Our Love for Family
Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.
Romans 12:10
The Barna Group found that 73% of all U.S. parents are concerned about their children’s spiritual well-being. This wasn’t just a survey of Christian parents. Nearly three-fourths of all American parents harbor concern about the spiritual health of their youngsters.1 The Lord invented the family unit in the Garden of Eden, and even nonbelievers long for their children to have healthy souls.
That’s why we need the kind of family love conveyed by the Greek word storge, which describes the love family members have for each other. The Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon defines it as “cherishing one’s kindred, especially parents or children; the mutual love of parents and children and wives and husbands; love, affection.”
This word is found as part of a compound term in Romans 12:10, translated “kindly affectionate.” What can you do to enhance the well-being of members of your family? Sometimes we treat total strangers more politely than we deal with those in our own home. Love begins under our roof. Let’s find a fresh way of practicing it today.
In a grace-filled Christian home, there is salvation. There is forgiveness. There is hope. There is genuine happiness. There is purpose there.
Robert Wolgemuth
“How Concerned Are Christian Parents About Their Children’s Faith Formation?” Barna, March 30, 2022.
Rom 12:9-16
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.
Our love is a learning experience, but it should be like God’s love for us. We need to read the Scriptures and discern how God loves so that we can imitate His character. The more we study and learn the ways of Jesus, the more we will become like Him. Lord, help us learn to love everyone the way that You do.
Pastor Dale