Love Never Fails

Love never fails. 

But where there are prophecies, they will cease; 

where there are tongues, they will be stilled; 

where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

I Corinthians 13:8

Love never fails. What? Why? I have been asking myself this question. Why? Today's world says love fails all the time. Just look at the divorce rate here in America. How can the Bible say love doesn't fail? I don't think it's talking about our human flawed way of thinking about love. It's God's love.   

'For God so loved the world He sent His one and only Son...' John 3:16   

'While we were still sinners Christ died for us.' Romans 5:8 

I have spent a lot of time thinking about this and meditating on this. God sent His only Son to die for us...because He loves us. Jesus willingly gave Himself to die a cruel death on the cross...because He loves us. Not because we deserve it, not because we have earned it not even because we asked for it. Simply out of a love for us.

This is where I have been really burdened. I know this post is long, but stay with me. Love never failing has been weighing heavily on my heart. I have several thoughts I would like to share.

Once we have accepted God's love through salvation, he expects us to share that love with others. It is repeated over and over in scripture. But more importantly we are to love our marriage partner with God's kind of love. Especially husbands; God commands husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her. Husbands are to love their wives like their own bodies. You are to make sure her needs are met. Yes, that means you will have to spend time with her and get to know her. You are to love her as you love yourself. (Ephesians 5:25-33) As a woman, a wife, I can say your wife will likely respond to you by reflecting back more love than you've invested into her. Why not invest everything you have? The reward will far outweigh the cost.

In doing this you also present a beautiful picture of Christ and the church to a lost world. What a great testimony that would be! How many marriages might be saved if one who was in trouble knew they had someone to turn to for Godly advice? If every husband took this responsibility seriously and loved his own wife with God's love the divorce rate truly would be negligible.

It is interesting that wives aren't specifically called to 'love' their husbands. I believe it is a given. Her automatic response to his love will be to love in return. However it's interesting that husbands are commanded to do so, but not the wives.

Wives don't get off so easy though. We are commanded to submit. 'Wives submit to your husbands as to Lord. The husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church...' Ephesians 5:22-24  I know the world takes and ugly view of that word 'submit', but God's dictionary defines it slightly differently than modern society. It is not a blind and utter obedience. It is simply a voluntary response to his love to us!

Order needs to be established in the home as it does anywhere. The husband is the head of the wife like Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. It is a love relationship. I know it can be difficult sometimes trusting your husband has your best interest in mind and is making wise choices for your family. But if you are following the leading of the Lord and trusting in Him he will direct your paths. It is difficult sometimes when husband and wife don't agree on a decision, believe me. My husband I have had our share of disagreements and are still working on this issue. I am still learning to be the wife I should be. But the ultimate responsibility for the family is his in God's eyes. I pray for him to make wise choices. I pray for God's leading in his life and I trust God to take care of His part.

Just as important as submitting is respect. 'and the wife must respect her husband.' Ephesians 5:33  I think this is very important. It is also an area I have missed the mark in the past. I might have 'given in' to my husband and called it submission to make myself feel better. But I realized if I was doing something begrudgingly it showed contempt or disrespect rather than the respect my husband needs and deserves. I know that respect is important to a man. I want my husband to know I respect him. He should not need to look to someone else for that affirmation.

God created me uniquely and solely to be his helper. It is my honor and privilege to show him respect. Not just in private at home, but publicly. I do not gossip about him, speak badly of him or tear him down. I make a conscious effort to say positive things, especially when other women put their husbands down. He might not ever know, but God will know when I have honored my husband. He will have respect publicly from me. I am not ashamed to say the girls I work with are jealous of me. My husband isn't perfect, but he's mine. I love him.

Now, concerning the rest of the verse today...   Prophecies fail, tongues fail and even knowledge fails. Once a prophecy predicted comes true it is no longer a prophecy but the past. It is now history. Words spoken and interpreted no longer have a need for tongues. When the knowledge I need for today is greater than the knowledge I learned yesterday, then that knowledge has failed me. And let's face it, as quickly as technology progresses, what I have learned at breakfast has become obsolete by lunch!

The only thing that never fails is God's eternal love. Fortunately he shares that love with us so we can in turn share it with others. Why not start with your marriage partner?