Love for a Lifetime
It can be yours!
What does it mean to have love for a lifetime? If the length of marriages today is any indication, life is way too short! Love for a lifetime is exactly what it says it is, i.e. LOVE for a LIFETIME. Our problem is that we get comfortable. When that happens, we get lazy and irritable and unfriendly and surly, and well, just downright mean to each other. When we stop being polite to one another, treating one another with kindness, we may be married for a lifetime, but it's anything but love. So, how do we do it?
I think I can help us with a scripture verse (imagine that!). Paul said in Philippians 4:13
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Too may times we've tried to make this a scripture about faith and being able to move mountains and overcome obstacles, and there are surely instances where that would apply. But what if, (just go with me here) what if the message God wanted us to hear is this: If I will be willing to be humiliated, to do without what might be beneficial to me at the moment and instead, do what is beneficial to others, i.e. spouse, family member, friend, then God will bless others (and me) through that attitude. In other words, I must be willing to give myself up, to bear up under the stress without demanding my own way but instead,
"See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone." 1 Thessalonians 5:15 (ESV)
The first 'one another' we should consider is our closest relationships in life and that would certainly include our loved ones. As I've said before, if we treated our spouses and close friends like a person of high esteem or status in life, rather than an old hat or worn out shoe, we will know, LOVE FOR A LIFETIME.
Join us this weekend either in person or if you're out of town, online next Tuesday, as I teach this very topic, Love for a Lifetime.
Until tomorrow,
Pastor Steve
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