February 2009
(Note: Pastor's Pen is published on a monthly basis)
February - Love Month
February is known as “Love Month,” bringing a gentle reminder that husbands should love their wives even as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it (Ephesians 5:2; 5:33). Wives should show respect to their husbands, and children are to obey their parents and love one another.
In the Old Testament Moses read the Ten Commandments to the Israelites and summarized by telling them, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul and with all thy mind” (Deut 6:5). In the New Testament Jesus declared to the apostles as He was preparing to go to Jerusalem, “A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another” (John 13:34).
Lining up Moses’ commandment with Jesus’ commandment makes Romans 8:28 a great and outstanding promise: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God.” All things begin to work together for our good when we fall in love with Jesus! Our God cares about us, cares about our circumstances, and wants us to know and draw closer to Him. The closer we get to God, the greater love we have for our spouse, our children, the lost, and for one another.
Love for the world (John 3:16) cost the Father his only begotten Son; how much should we love? Let us love one another in word and deed even as Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it. Let’s not only continue the “Love Month” theme at Northwest in February, but carry it throughout 2009.
Love and prayers,
~ Pastor
Roberts
Copyright © 2009 Northwest Tampa Church of God