What a Love!!

It occurred to me that God is the best husband I have had, having tried 2 times at marriage. He repeatedly takes care of things for me, guides me with information or instructions, comforts me, and above all loves and understands me. He does all of this in ways that I respond to. He does it lovingly and with patience. He shows me that I am worthy of this type of love.

The great thing is that God and I have relationship with one another. He wants that with all of us. He gave us the perfect example of what our relationships should look like. He loves us at all times, and expresses when He is displeased in a loving way. He comforts us when we are down. He gives us help when we need it and allows us to be ourselves. He protects us, provides for us, makes us laugh, and shows us beauty. He gives us gifts and above all never leaves us. WOW!! 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, the "love chapter" breaks it down for us. "Though I speak wit the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, if profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil, does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails."... It goes on to talk about our limited understanding while here but that one day He will give us full understanding when we are with Him and in verse 13 it says, "And now abide faith, hope, love these three; but the greatest of these is love." (NASB). What a powerful gift we have been given!!

All He asks is that we believe in him and it says in Deuteronomy 6:5 you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. This takes practice by putting aside our own wants and desires, emotions and thoughts and giving them to Him. The more we submit to Him, the more peace we will find we have. I believe that as we give our will to Him, our will becomes His will as He fills our hearts with the things of Him.

When Jesus walked among us in the flesh, He treated people the way they were seen by Heavenly eyes. He saw the worth in people, and still does. Likewise, when He saw the bad, He was known to instruct them if they were bringing harm to themselves or others. He is the same way now. When instructing others we are to be led by Him but know that we are still instructed by Him as well, because he loves us so be slow to judge and form opinions and criticize. I find this to be an area that I need to continue to work on myself!

So, how can we take this into our relationships? Gentlemen, if you want a woman to be a "lady", treat her like a lady, show her respect. Ladies if you want a man to know his worth, show him respect as a person of importance to you. we are to love everyone!!! That in and of itself if is a challenge and without Him is is impossible.

Ladies, love yourself enough to choose things that are good for you. Gentlemen, do the same. God asks us to love everyone, but love has many forms. In the Bible there were 4 types of love mentioned. Eros, Storge, Philia, and Agape. Let's talk about these for a moment, to gain more understanding.

1. Eros, Greek, is sensual or romantic love. This is the love of a husband and wife. \

2. Storge, Greek, Family love or bond

3. Philia, Greek, Powerful, emotional bond in friendships

4. Agape, Greek, God's love, pure, the most powerful form.

So, if we take these examples and apply them to our lives we see that people who come into our lives can bring many types of love. We are not intended to have Eros love for everyone and because we do not understand love and healthy relationship we often mistake one for another. This is where I believe we are meant to ask God what place people are intended to have in our lives.

If we jump and misunderstand the intended purpose a person plays in our lives and we misinterpret the type of love we are experiencing, we can and most likely will find ourselves in a bad situation. When we give Him control over all areas, even our relationships, He places the right people in our lives for the right reason. But ask Him. He may bring someone for you to encourage or lift up, not to marry. He may bring someone for you to learn from, don't mistake these for a "sign from God" just because they bring good things to your life. If you have a problem "people pleasing" you may "fall for" someone that He only intended you to tell about Him. But you get the "let me help and fix it" bug and get tangled up!! This is taking things into your own hands. Then you wonder why you find yourself in a terrible situation, joined to someone who wasn't your intended mate. I know this scenario by heart!!

Just be patient, ask, wait, watch, ask again, obey.

Ask: for the things you need

Wait: for Him to send them

Watch: Him work it out, let Him be in control.

Ask Again: if it involves another person "What is this meant to be?" or "What would you have me do?".

Then Obey. Often this is the hard part!

Wait for God to bring your mate. He knows far better than you do what you need. He does listen and hear your prayers and knows the cry of your heart!!!

Just Trust Him!!!

No matter what you need. The father you never had or no longer have, the friend you can trust, the confident, couselot, the advisor, the husband, the protector, the lawyer, the doctor.....All are in Him!!

See also: Deut 10:18, Deut 30:20, Psalms 5:11, Psalms 91:14-16