Love Cost
Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:8, NIV
I remember being so excited when I was dating my husband. We had a lot of fun just hanging out and getting to know one another. When he asked me to marry him I could hardly wait to start our new life together. My mind could only focus on all the wonderful times we would have.
We have been married now for 36 years and I am more in love with him now than I could have ever been when we first got married! I cannot imagine my life without him! Even as I am writing this devotional there is this big smile on my face. I love him dearly. However, the years in between our first and 36th anniversary have had some pain, suffering, brokenness, hurt, disappointment and some of everything that love is not!
The world’s definition of love only speaks to our emotions. That definition will never carry anyone through 36 years of marriage, friendship, etc. Jesus wants us to know that when we sign up to love someone in a marriage, it is each of our responsibilities to love one another as we love ourselves. When we say I love you we are making a contract like Jesus made with us. He did not require us to change for Him to love us, but love cost him something… “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us,” Romans 5:8, NIV.
The 36-year journey with my husband required us both to change and it cost us each we had to sacrifice. We both endured things we never wanted to experience along the way, but the love we have now is indescribable! We must remember that love will cost us something! But like the scripture above says, love never fails when we are walking in the love of God. For the true definition of love read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, NIV: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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