September 10
Real love is far less emotional and feelings-driven than we make it out to be. It's more a decision that you keep making day after day.
Three Thoughts
Love within marriage isn't about "how I feel today." Real love was modeled by Christ, who gave himself up for us. So the bar is sacrificial and costly. In my marriage, love is all about what you're willing to give to the other.
EPHESIANS 5:25
Paul gives us a two-word framework for making relationships work: Love and Respect. Marriage works when two people keep choosing each other on the days it isn't automatic. Men are to love their wives and women are to respect their husbands. It's a cycle of health.
EPHESIANS 5:33
This week I want you to read the "Love chapter" of the Bible slowly and put your name where the word "love" is mentioned. Patient. Kind. Not keeping score. It's eye opening for sure. It's also a promise of how God loves you.
1 CORINTHIANS 13
Two Quotes
Speaker and author Gary L Thomas on love:
“Couples don’t fall out of love so much as they fall out of repentance.”
Author Ruth Bell Graham on marriage:
"A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers."
Prayer
Dear God, I want to love my spouse better this week, inspired by the love you have for me. I ask that you would teach me how to forgive quickly and give back to them generously. When marriage gets hard, would you meet us there. In Jesus' name, amen.
Question
What is the one thing you've been quietly keeping score on? What would it take to actually let it go this week?
P.S. For all of the dads out there, I've really been enjoying this book called "The Daily Dad" by Ryan Holiday. He gives a short, daily thought on parenting.