Topic: The Sacrifice of Love  (Read 2128 times)

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The Sacrifice of Love
« on: October 01, 2012, 08:39:58 PM »

1corithians 13 vs4-8,describes the character ,strength and power of God's kind of love.  Human nature has no capacity for this kind of love,to love this way we have to die to ourselves,so issues like my rights,my wants, desires no longer arises. One of the first things the Lord taught me is to substitute I ; me; mine; to  we; our .something as simple as a vocabulary change becomes a big deal where is no love indeed.

Loves suffers long,
Does not envy,
Love is not proud,nor boastful
Love is not rude,nor disrespectful
Love is not selfish
Love bears and endures all things
Love believes and hopes all things

Every one of us have failed God and our spouses if we take a closer look at God's kind of love.
Where these attributes are present,there will be no room for hardness of heart,which is the direct opposite of love.Because love is kind, it is gentle, it is patient, it never fails. This is the kind of God expects God expects from every couple when He said "therefore shall a man leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife".Because in the mind of  love is to last forever, never fail so much so that in songs of Solomon  it is written,""for love is as strong as death,--------/many waters can not quench love,rivers can not wash it away--------"  The story all over the world is so different today,every little pool or even cup of water is able to quench our love for our spouses.

So what's missing. Love is a sacrifice therefore it was never about the person giving it but the person receiving it,,the object of love. For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten son ,who died on the cross for us.This perfect sacrifice is brought is explained to us in Ephesians 5 as the love ,the pure sacrificial love that should exist between a man and his wife. Vs25------" husband love your wife as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her. To make her holy,cleansing her by the washing with water of the word,and to present her to himself as a radiant church without stain,or wrinkle or any other blemish,but holy and blameless,------- nourishes and cherishes her----- "". This is huge, there is no self here.But self is completely giving away in favor of the other.

This kind of love is the foundation and the sustaining power of marriage.Without this foundation no marriage will stand much less last long.without this foundation the marriage has failed before it starts.
To explain the nature of sacrificial love, God told an unwilling prophet to marry a prostitute,when she left God asked him to go back for her,forgive her and bring her back home to himself.This happened several times,and every time the prophet went back to do every thing possible to win his wife back.I know this is a demonstration of God's supernatural love,but is possible for us too today. The reason being that we have the love of God poured into our hearts. You might be thinking he is a prophet he can do it, the reality is,he is a man who willing chose to obey God and do His will.And he also trusted God for grace to do it.

Without a doubt sacrificial love is a supernatural act. Our human love is can only go so far before it gives up.Our kind of love today is big on words and emotions, and so very little on sacrifice and committment. This is what I mean, in psalms 15vs4  "a man who keeps his oat even when it hurts him
is man who understands what it means to love. But today we are quick to break our oat at the first sign of trouble. Where are the Joseph's of this generation of whom the bible said of him," then Joseph her husband being a just and righteous man did not want to expose her to public disgrace,shame and ridicule". Joseph was not concerned about himself but Mary, not surprising that God chose him because He knew Joseph would give of himself totally to love the son of God .Boaz refused to take advantage of Ruth,but let his love protected her,provided ,cherished and nourished  her.He encouraged and strengthened her.

Let's take a reality check here ,did you know dear husbands that your love for your wife is to cover her shame,  weaknesses ,fears,low self esteem. Love does not just cover, it breaks yokes and sets free. As the love of God sets us free from sin,a husbands covenant love for his wife is also able  to set her free from her past fears and failings. I understand it is a big responsibility ,but you can do it because  God is on your side and his grace is sufficient for you.   Every wife instead of nagging ought to pray that God will teach their husbands how to love them as Christ loved the church.    Wife, your sacrifice is to submit to the leadership of your husband and trust God in him even when you do not completely understand  him.    When was the last time as a husband you did something sacrificial just for your wife? 

Love is keeping your oat of " for better or worse,till death do us part-----"; even if hurts you. That's what Christ did and that's  what  we  should  do also, so help us God

 

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