True Love God's Way

   As I write this blog, our nation is celebrating love as a part of Valentine's Day.  It is a nice day because everywhere I've been today, people seem kinder than normal, more open to sentiments of love and grace.  I was even invited to pray over a community breakfast where people from all walks of life (and faiths) were together.  From this standpoint, I celebrate with the world.  Love is great, love is good.  Afterall, God is love!  (1 John 4:8 and 16).

  Rusty and I have been married for almost 33 years now and in the beginning, we whole-heartedly embraced Valentine's Day and participated in its ritual of buying gifts for each other.  Even today, Rusty had flowers delivered to me. He's such a sweetheart.  But truth be known, Rusty shows me his love every day.  Every day he prays with and for me, he involves me in his thoughts and struggles and he engages me in discussion that are most important to me.  I am not a widow to his work or hobbies, nor to his volunteer activities. 

  I know alot of wives who are widows to other priorities in their husband's lives.  It shows on their faces, in their health, and in their relationships.  Wives who feel cherished by their husbands have such a sweet softness to them.  A glow that radiates from deep inside. They are confident in life and for the most part seem to be healthier physically.  There are exceptions to this of course.

   Ephesians Chapter 5, verses 22-33 give us very clear instructions for how love between a husband and a wife should be.  I can say that for the first 20 years of our marriage, we were doing okay at best, but we were missing the mark by a long shot.   It wasn't until we met Christ and learned His will for marriage that our love for each other really took root.  I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my husband loves me as Christ loves the Church (in as much as humanly possible).  He would die for me.  As a matter-of-fact, he did!  I told the story in detail in a blog a while back in our testimony, but he gave up the wordly pursuits to seek God with me.  He has been reborn spiritually and is growing in grace daily.  My part in this was to respect him even when I didn't feel like he "deserved" respect.  Do you know how hard that is???  I was always taught that respect had to be earned.  When it comes to your husband, respect is demanded in God's Kingdom, whether you feel it's deserved or not. In the same way, husbands are to love their wives whether they feel it's deserved or not.  Love and respect are both actions, not feelings, and not negotiable for those who claim to be followers of Christ. 

 So, my prayer for you all today, is that you experience true love as God meant it to be.  Not with just gifts, flowers and cards (although these are not bad in themselves--quite nice when accompanied by true love).  But with love and respect that is deeply felt on a daily basis and growing continually.