Affection: November 26, 2010

Today's Word for Friday November 26, 2010

AFFECTION

DEFINITION

Fond attachment; devotion or love; emotion; feeling; the emotional realm of love; to hold a place in one's affection.

SCRIPTURE

"Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other." Romans 12:10.

"For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:8

"Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind." Philippians 2:1.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

Genuine affection is demonstrated by selfless kindness that causes a person to put aside their own interests for the good of another.

When we think of "genuine affection" we think of the relationship between David and Jonathan. In I Samuel 18:1 we are told that when they met each other an immediate bond developed between them and it says that Jonathan loved David as himself. To show his affection for David Jonathan gave him his robe, tunic, sword, bow and belt. In affirmation of their affection and friendship Jonathan and David made a covenant with each other. Jonathan was Saul's son and David was his son in law.

David was so successful in all that Saul sent him to do that Saul became jealous of David's success and he wanted to kill him. Jonathan interceded because of his brotherly affection for David. Jonathan remained loyal to David and helped him escape Saul's many attempts to kill him. Jonathan kept his covenant with David even though it meant he had to go against his own father. David continued to honor their covenant after Jonathan was killed and David became king by showing kindness to Jonathan's son.

In Psalms 36 David expressed the vast extent of affection that God has for us. We are to give thanks to God, for His affection and mercy which endures forever. In Jeremiah 31:3 we are reminded of the Lord's affection to us when it is written that God has loved us with an everlasting love. And because of this love for us He reached out to us with loving kindness. God truly loves us with genuine affection.

God wants us to have that same genuine affection for others that He has for us. He wants us to exemplify the mutual love and commitment of true affection in our relationships with our family and our Christian friends.

We can think back over 55 years ago when we first met each other as college students at Wheaton College. At first we shared an interest in each other and soon we began to have affection for each other. Soon our affection grew and we knew we were right for each other. After about six months of dating we were separated for a year as Dottie finished at Wheaton and Ken went to Fuller Seminary, about 2000 miles apart.

In those days there was no text messaging and telephone calls were expensive so our affection for one another was continued through letters. We soon knew that God was in our relationship and decided to get married. We then raised our support and headed for the mission field in Korea. True affection for one another started us on our way because of our true affection for our Lord and we knew His hand was upon our marriage and ministry.

Our marriage has lasted because of our deep affection for each other. We are committed to one another, we care for one another and we seek to put aside our own interests in deference to the need of the other. We delight in honoring God and each other. Marriages fail when they are based only on physical affection and not on spiritual affection as well.

Paul describes his affection for the Christians in Philippi as being like the affection of Jesus Christ by asking them to be like minded and have affection for the Lord. When we truly love the Lord we will, like Paul, be able to love others with the affection of Jesus.

The scripture in 1 Peter 4:8-9 reads: "Above all things have a fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without grumbling." But also we are to have a true affection for our Lord.

LEARNING

Our memory verse for this week is found in Philippians 4:19.

God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

PRAYER

Give me affection today for my family, my friends and for those I meet. Help me to radiate through my walk and my talk the love of Jesus to all I meet.