MEMORY VERSE:
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong doing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (ESV)
This weekend I attended two very important events in the life of a good friend. The theme of love was prevalent in both.
Friday evening my friend’s parents celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary. Saturday afternoon my friend was married.
I must confess when I attend weddings I get a little cynical about the promises to love and cherish forever. Perhaps my less than stellar success in past marriages has something to do with it, or maybe it’s the information from a 2012 fact sheet on the Canadian divorce rate indicating 40% of Canadian marriages end in divorce.
The truth is, as the happy couple makes their promises, I can’t silence the cynical voice in my head whispering, “How long will it last.” (Is there something wrong with me or does everyone secretly have these thoughts?)
Don’t get me wrong…I love weddings. I cry, I’m filled with romantic thoughts, and I genuinely wish the couple well. I just can’t ignore the facts.
This weekend was different. It was a joy to watch her parents swirl around the dance floor still faithfully in love after 55 years of shared joys and sorrows.
I envisioned them 55 years earlier…young and naïve with no idea what lay ahead of them, but dedicated to staying together regardless of what life would throw at them.
A few weeks earlier my friend and I had a chance to chat. I’ve gone through two divorces, but was married again two years ago. My friend has been widowed twice but decided to step out in faith and trust love once more.
We’re both older and hopefully a little wiser. We know life isn’t easy. We know the “perfect happily ever after with no trouble along the way” is a thing of fairy tales. We both have our faults and we know the men we love have theirs, and yet, neither one of us has given up on love.
Love isn’t just that warm, fuzzy, melting feeling you sometimes experience. Love is a conscience choice you make. It’s a choice you make when things are going great and it’s the more difficult choice you make to remain faithful and stick with it when life gets rough.
Steadfast, dedicated, life lasting love is possible and Paul tells us exactly what it looks like in this week’s excerpt from his letter to the members of the church in Corinth.
I’m making the choice to love in the good, and in the bad. I want to be the couple twirling on the dance floor as second and third generations look on. I want to beat the odds and break out of the statistical box. I choose to love my husband and honour my marriage.
And I’m happy to report the cynical voice didn’t join me this weekend.
What about you? Are you making a conscience choice to love? Please share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below.
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong doing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
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