Challenged by the Greatest from The Love Standard Series
“So now abide faith, hope, and love, these three. But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:13 MEV
Hey friend!
Today wraps up our series on the love standard but our challenge to rise to God’s standard of love for our marriages doesn’t stop with this post.
We have spent the last several weeks digging a little deeper into 1 Corinthians 13 which is commonly referred to as the “love chapter” to really take a closer look at God’s standard for love and how we should apply it to our marriages. I hope this series has challenged you – it sure has challenged me!
Loving our husbands by God’s standard will take a commitment on our part. Somedays it will be two steps forward and five steps back while some will be smooth sailing. Other days, it will feel like the last thing we want to do. Chip Ingram, Pastor and Bible teacher, says it best. “Love is giving the other person what they need most when they deserve it the least at great personal cost.”
Loving our husbands by God’s standard will have a great cost. However, God doesn’t ask us to do something that He hasn’t already demonstrated by example. This standard of love is how God loves us and is referred to as “Agape” love. Agape is a Greek word and is pronounced uh-GAH-pay. There are four types of love mentioned in the Bible.
1. Storge - Affection
2. Philia - Friendship
3. Eros - Romantic
4. Agape - Sacrificial love or Charity
Agape love is the highest of the four types of love discussed in the Bible - it is a selfless, unconditional, and sacrificial kind of love. It will demand our intentionality and our focus. It will stretch us and challenge us. Agape love goes against the grain of our sinful nature. Our flesh wants what we want – to satisfy our wants and needs first instead of putting others before ourselves.
Our key verse tells us that love is the greatest out of hope and faith. Have you ever wondered why love is greater than faith and hope? Until Jesus comes back, and we abide with Him in Heaven, we still need faith, hope, and love. Since we can’t see God face-to-face until we reach Heaven, we must rely on faith and the hope of Heaven and our salvation. But friend, we won’t need faith and hope when we all get to Heaven. At that point, faith and hope will be standing in front us in the person of Jesus Christ as we praise Him for eternity!
However, love will continue because God is love. Everything about Him radiates love. Love is who He is and what He is all about. The Bible is the greatest love story ever told – It tells the story of our amazing God and His relentless love for His children from Genesis all the way to Revelation. What a magnificent God He is!
Sweet friend let’s learn to love like God loves. Let’s love deep and love hard – selflessly and sacrificially just like He does. Our heavenly Father set the example for us, and I can’t think of anyone else I would rather be like than Him. Can you?
Heavenly Father,
Wow – thank you for being a God that loved me so much that you made a way for me to be reconciled back to you through your Son, Jesus. I don’t understand why you love me so much – I fail more than I get things right – but yet – your love goes beyond my failures. Thank you for showing us your standard of love and for teaching us to be more like you. You are such a good, good Father and I love you so much! In Jesus Name, Amen.
Dig Deeper:
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.” Hebrews 10:24 ESV
“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 ESV
Reflection – Challenge #8
How can you be intentional this week and shower your husband with God’s agape love?
Start with a prayer and ask God for His help then over the next week – do something each day that demonstrates agape love to your husband.
Bonus challenge – Instead of just one week, shower your husband with agape love over the course of the month and watch God move not only in your heart but in your marriage.