11 07 08 Love Is….as Christ Loved

“Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not want what belongs to others. It does not brag. It is not proud. It is not rude. It does not look out for its own interests. It does not easily become angry. It does not keep track of other people's wrongs. Love is not happy with evil. But it is full of joy when the truth is spoken. It always protects. It always trusts. It always hopes. It never gives up. Love never fails. But prophecy will pass away. Speaking in languages that had not been known before will end. And knowledge will pass away.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIrV)/strong>

As our baby girl gets married today, I can think of no better advice that what Paul gave back in A.D.55. When dealing with love and commitment, we look no further than Christ and stay right there! He is love. He showed love. This is the only way to love, with sacrifice, Truth, and commitment. Love is more than a feeling, an action, a box of chocolates, or the world’s biggest diamond. Love is a person. LOVE IS AS CHRIST LOVED.

“Wives, follow the lead of your husbands as you follow the Lord. The husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the church. The church is Christ's body. He is its Savior. The church follows the lead of Christ. In the same way, wives should follow the lead of their husbands in everything. Husbands love your wives. Love them just as Christ loved the church. He gave himself up for her. He did it to make her holy. He made her clean by washing her with water and the word. He did it to bring her to himself as a brightly shining church. He wants a church that has no stain or wrinkle or any other flaw. He wants a church that is holy and without blame.

In the same way, husbands should love their wives. They should love them as they love their own bodies. Any man who loves his wife loves himself. After all, people have never hated their own bodies. Instead, they feed and care for their bodies. And that is what Christ does for the church. We are parts of his body. Scripture says, ‘That's why a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife. The two will become one.’(Genesis 2:24) That is a deep mystery. But I'm talking about Christ and the church. A husband also must love his wife. He must love her just as he loves himself. And a wife must respect her husband.” (Ephesians 5:22-33 NIrV)

It has been proven over time and as God made each of us different, we find that women need to feel loved. They need to feel secure. They need to be cherished (treasured). Men need to know they are respected and highly valued. In marriage, that means that husband and wife are inseparable and glued together in love, in respect, and in their life as one. No one can separate what God joins together. We may break it up o the surface, but husband and wife are joined together from the heart...from the core!

Marriage is a mystery…and standard set by through His covenant relationship with His people back in Genesis. It involves sacrifice and commitment. It is unwavering. Moods may change. Circumstances may change. But love never changes. Love is a person. LOVE IS AS CHRIST LOVED. So we are charged…love one another!