ODJ: choose love
May 24, 2010
Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth (v.18).
READ: Proverbs 5:15-23
The actress Cameron Diaz explained why none of her romantic relationships have led to marriage. “I think that what I’ve found . . . is that you always find the person you’re meant to be with at that time in your life. And what I’ve also found is that you have to move on from those people at certain times, because that’s the way it happens. . . . A lot of people find themselves trapped in something they’ve outgrown and are unhappy. And they don’t know how to get out of it because they think they’re supposed to make it happen.”
This attitude may be acceptable when dating, but too many people bring it into their marriage. “Till death do us part” becomes “You’re the person I want to be with at this period in my life,” and they quickly discard their spouse when they’ve “outgrown the relationship” or the chemistry is no longer working. Then, in a futile quest to “find themselves,” they tear apart their family and ruin the lives of everyone in it (Proverbs 5:15-17).
But what if love doesn’t mean “what makes me happy or meets my needs this very moment”? What if we replaced this thin view of love with the muscular love of God? “God loved the world so much that He” . . . what? Tingled with happiness? Got wobbly in the knees? Used the world to find Himself? No. “God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son” (John 3:16).
The cross is the greatest act of love, not because it filled God with warm feelings, but because God put us ahead of Himself and chose to die for us.
How about you? Will you chase Hollywood’s idea of happiness, or will you commit to spend your life with your spouse? (Proverbs 5:18). Choose love.
—Mike Wittmer
What steps can you take to protect your marriage from the selfish and promiscuous messages of our age? Do something tangible—either for your spouse or a close friend—that demonstrates your commitment.
Tweet This
Share on Facebook
Digg This
Save to delicious
Stumble it
RSS FeedRelated
ODJ: what a difference
May 15, 2011 We proclaim to you the One who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw Him with our own eyes and touched Him with our own hands. He is the Word of life (v.1). READ: 1 John 1 Conventional wisdom says that the world’s religions differ on the [...]
ODJ: making life grow
March 11, 2011 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit (v.10). READ: Colossians 1:9-14 I love food fresh from the garden, particularly tomatoes. A couple years in a row, I had idyllic visions of growing our own crop and having [...]
ODJ: maybe?
July 12, 2010 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish (v.28). READ: John 10:22-30 I sat in the dark atop a mountain overlooking a lost city. Above my head, a Mindanaon downpour assaulted the tin roof of the bungalow I called home. I had just learned that my best friend from high school had [...]
ODJ: no condemnation
April 12, 2010 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus (8:1). READ: Romans 7:25-8:1 T he Thirteenth Amendment that abolished slavery in the United States was ratified by the necessary number of states on December 6, 1865. So, how many slaves were there in the US on December 7? [...]
Christian Courses
Day Of Discovery
Discover The Word
Discovery Series
Help For My Life
My Utmost For His Highest
Our Daily Bread
Our Daily Journey
RBC Ministries
WarungSateKaMu
Manasociety
雅米
Love…………..
make all things possible.
Put God first in your relationship because He is Love =)