"This is my beloved Son." Many Christians and students of the Bible have heard this phrase numerous times. Every time Heavenly Father presents his son, Jesus Christ, he says these words. We hear the phrase repeated so often in scripture and in discussions, but have we ever stopped to understand its meaning and implication?
Heavenly Father didn't just say, "This is my son, Jesus." He emphasized that he was "beloved," meaning he was "greatly loved" or "dear to his heart." Our Father in Heaven taught us something very important. He reminded us how critical it is to let our loved ones know how much we love them in front of others.
We may often feel it is prideful or embarrassing to tell people how much we love our family members. It is so easy to forget to express love. President Monson said, " Often we assume that they must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know." Jesus Christ clearly knew his father loved him, but his father didn't refrain from proclaiming his love for Christ publicly.
When my New Testament professor brought up the scripture in Matthew 17:5, he mentioned a talk given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. In the talk, Elder Holland gives us a small taste of the magnitude and depth of God's love for his only begotten by relating the story of a family greeting their boy for the first time after he had returned from a two year mission abroad. Here is a small excerpt from that story.
"He came to the bottom of the steps and started out across the apron toward our building and then, sure enough, somebody couldn't take it any longer. It wasn't the mother, and it wasn't the girlfriend, and it wasn't the rowdy little brother. That big, slightly awkward, quiet and bronzed giant of a man put an elbow into the ribcage of a flight attendant and ran, just simply ran, out onto that apron and swept his son into his arms."
"And then I though of God the Eternal Father watching his boy go out to serve, to sacrifice when he didn't have to do it, paying his own way, so to speak, costing everything he had saved all his life to give. At that precious moment, it was not too difficult to imagine that father speaking with some emotion to those who could hear, "This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." And it was also possible to imagine that triumphant returning son, saying, "It is finished. Father, into they hands I commend my spirit."
(From a 1986 talk entitled, "I Stand All Amazed")
How do we get comfortable expressing our love for our family members publicly? I suggest that we first express love to them in the home. There is nothing more embarrassing for a child than to hear their mom say in sacrament meeting that she loves them when they haven't first heard that audible display of affection at home.
When we say we love someone, we should mean it. In order for our love to be felt it must be based in action. I recommend that we LOVE before expressing love. Love is first expressed in actions and it is intensified and reinforced by words.
My invitation is to try a little harder to show love and express it. You may not immediately be able to publicly express how much you love your children or family members, but you can start by simply loving them and telling them. As you tell them you love them you will become more comfortable telling other people about it. Have a lovely day!
As you watch this video, think of the love of the Father for his Son and for each one of us.
Also, here is something to help you in your quest to better express love in your family.
Heavenly Father didn't just say, "This is my son, Jesus." He emphasized that he was "beloved," meaning he was "greatly loved" or "dear to his heart." Our Father in Heaven taught us something very important. He reminded us how critical it is to let our loved ones know how much we love them in front of others.
We may often feel it is prideful or embarrassing to tell people how much we love our family members. It is so easy to forget to express love. President Monson said, " Often we assume that they must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know." Jesus Christ clearly knew his father loved him, but his father didn't refrain from proclaiming his love for Christ publicly.
When my New Testament professor brought up the scripture in Matthew 17:5, he mentioned a talk given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. In the talk, Elder Holland gives us a small taste of the magnitude and depth of God's love for his only begotten by relating the story of a family greeting their boy for the first time after he had returned from a two year mission abroad. Here is a small excerpt from that story.
"He came to the bottom of the steps and started out across the apron toward our building and then, sure enough, somebody couldn't take it any longer. It wasn't the mother, and it wasn't the girlfriend, and it wasn't the rowdy little brother. That big, slightly awkward, quiet and bronzed giant of a man put an elbow into the ribcage of a flight attendant and ran, just simply ran, out onto that apron and swept his son into his arms."
"And then I though of God the Eternal Father watching his boy go out to serve, to sacrifice when he didn't have to do it, paying his own way, so to speak, costing everything he had saved all his life to give. At that precious moment, it was not too difficult to imagine that father speaking with some emotion to those who could hear, "This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." And it was also possible to imagine that triumphant returning son, saying, "It is finished. Father, into they hands I commend my spirit."
(From a 1986 talk entitled, "I Stand All Amazed")
How do we get comfortable expressing our love for our family members publicly? I suggest that we first express love to them in the home. There is nothing more embarrassing for a child than to hear their mom say in sacrament meeting that she loves them when they haven't first heard that audible display of affection at home.
When we say we love someone, we should mean it. In order for our love to be felt it must be based in action. I recommend that we LOVE before expressing love. Love is first expressed in actions and it is intensified and reinforced by words.
My invitation is to try a little harder to show love and express it. You may not immediately be able to publicly express how much you love your children or family members, but you can start by simply loving them and telling them. As you tell them you love them you will become more comfortable telling other people about it. Have a lovely day!
As you watch this video, think of the love of the Father for his Son and for each one of us.
Also, here is something to help you in your quest to better express love in your family.
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