Okay - I'm showing my age here...
The Love Boat
Some of us remember watching this funny show every week in anticipation of the next exciting relationship or failed love attempt. Each member of the crew had a role in fulfilling the guests’ wishes and plans aboard their majestic vessel. Nothing was too difficult for the stewards, cruise director or the Captain.
What if you were expecting to take a romantic cruise on Valentine's Day? Think of all the planning, preparations and care you would take to make sure everything was perfect! Can you just picture it?
You might tuck away a surprise card and a little sweet
treat for your man. You probably packed
that silky red blouse and little black skirt, along
with the glitzy shoes for dinner. Maybe you grabbed that gorgeous necklace he
bought you last year for your birthday to proudly wear that evening.
Wow – so much preparation goes into your vacation, but
how about your Spirit woman?
I Peter 3:3-4 says, “Do not let your beauty be that
outward adorning of arranging the hair, of wearing gold, or of putting on fine
apparel; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible
ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of
God.”
Valentine’s Day is all about showing love to your spouse,
parents, children, and those you care about the most. As a Christian woman there is only one way to
love your husband… with the love of Christ.
This Valentine’s Day give your Heavenly Father a gift that will keep on
giving – namely – the decision to love your husband as God intended while you
are living in a spiritually mismatched marriage.
Valentine’s Day is all about showing love to your spouse,
parents, children, and those you care about the most. As a Christian woman there is only one way to
love your husband… with the love of Christ.
This Valentine’s Day give your Heavenly Father a gift that will keep on
giving – namely – the decision to love your husband as God intended while you
are living in a spiritually mismatched marriage.What is love? In the Greek New Testament there are (4) forms of the word "love" ~
Physical Love (eros) The common Greek word from which English derives the term erotic, which is properly used to describe the love of physical attraction when it is between married couples (e.g. Song of
Solomon).
Family Love (storge) The fondness people share for their
relatives, especially love between parents and children. Can also refer to
great affection such as Paul’s passage in Romans 12:10, “be kindly affectionate to
one another” which combines storge
with philo (philostorgos).
Affectionate Love (philia) This is a form of love that is not commanded
by God, but rather based on our reaction to different types of people –
brotherly love.
Love of Choice (agape) This is the love of God – and is what God
calls us to do at His command – by choice.
It is love of the highest order.
In John 3:16 the verb “loved” expresses this concept of agape.
Let’s assume for the sake of our example that we would already love our husband with the physical, family, and affectionate love. Often what is the most difficult thing to do
is to love them with God’s agape love.
Below is an excerpt from my book “Mission Possible” Chapter 4 - Painful Reality
As a “child of light”, you begin
to see life differently through God’s filter.
Things of the world no longer satisfy, excite, or challenge you. Your
sights are set higher. Part of that is reflected in your relationship – as a
wife, friend and lover. There unfortunately are things that you begin to
dislike about him. We are to “love the sinner, but hate the sin.”
There were times I had to pray, “Lord, give me a desire for my husband… help me to love him with Your love, because I don’t like him very much right now.” Remember, you have to “take every thought captive, unto the obedience of Christ” (II Corinthians 10:5). Give it to God and then you will have peace. (Copyright © Deborah McCarragher and God Mission Possible, 2010-2016)
Colossians 3:12-14 exhort us to “…put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, forgiveness and above all – put on love, which is the bond of perfection.” Paul admonishes us to put on, by a deliberate effort, those things which exhibit the very nature of God. That is what is truly attractive to our spouses and the world outside. “Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.” (Proverbs 31:30)
This Valentine’s Day, whether you go on a cruise to an
exotic location, or if you are at home for the holiday, be sure to show your
husband God’s love in your words, actions and thoughts. Pray for God to bless him and to reveal
Himself to him in an unusual way.
Our husband is our gift from above – our completer, not our competitor. God wants
our focus to be on our spouse and our marriage on that special day that many celebrate
LOVE.
Enjoy this blast from the past - The Love Boat theme song!
Deborah
is the author of a Christian non-fiction book titled “Mission Possible”. It is
written for women who love the Lord Jesus, but their spouse doesn’t share their
passion. It will encourage and challenge
the reader to embrace God’s promises for their spouse and future together.
If you have been encouraged by this post - please take time to
share it with others.
What a great post, Deborah! And it is so true, if we love our spouses as God intended us to, our marriages would be strong, uplifting and encouraging relationships. I am so thankful my husband and I fall more deeply in love everyday. And of course, our relationship is built on respect and honor. I loved the Love Boat video. Boy that sure takes me back down memory lane!
ReplyDeleteHi Cecilia - thanks for stopping by! Glad you enjoyed the post. I love it when God lays something special on my heart to share. Yep - The Love Boat was one of those shows we looked forward to watching every week! That video says it all (lol). Did you see the guest line-up for that week's show? Sure brought back memories!
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