This is the week of my 55th wedding anniversary, so I’m devoting at least one post each day to the complex subject of love.

The purest of love comes from our Creator, God.  He created one man and one woman to join them as husband and wife and made them equal partners on this planet.  His wisdom set in motion a natural order of things which should still live today.  God is the head of all things.  Jesus is the mediator between God and man.  The first man was made from the earth, by the Creator.  He molded Adam from the ground, but created a perfect body, with all the intricate workings designed to carry man through his daily living – not a robot or a puppet, but a living, breathing, functioning human being.  The man was knit together before he came to be, by God Himself. When God saw that it was not good for him to be alone, He created the first woman by taking a bone from Adam’s ribs and fashioning her into the perfect mate.  That divine union would populate the earth.

Together Adam and Eve fell from God’s grace because of disobedience, but even then, God made a covenant with them which could only come from the purest kind of love. He promised them a Savior and He carried through on that promise.

As His children, we should follow His lead and love without condition. When we give something of ourselves to benefit others, God tells us to do it with a loving heart. If there is any malice in the doing or giving, we aren’t doing it His way. His love is an example for us, but we can never really love the way He does.

When a couple marries they are faced with a whole myriad of issues. There can be personality clashes, differences in how to do things, high expectations and low results, and so much more. These are merely tools the devil uses to turn us away from God to the tainted and perverted love he offers. The prince of lies has a way of making us feel bruised, used and abused.

When a man and woman join their lives in marriage, they’re making a huge commitment to one another.  Their lives are no longer their own.  The bond they have needs nurturing, patience, charity, faith, understanding and a willingness to compromise.  That’s a tall order for most of us.  Especially in a world that says we should only look out for ourselves.  By adding the third cord – the One that strengthens – you can withstand many of the problems that arise.

Marriage requires a great amount of work, but the results are definitely worth it. I can’t thank God enough for the gift He has given me through my husband and the love He has blessed us with for so long.

 Thank you, God, for your gift of marriage.  You planned mine down to the last detail.  You knew precisely what I needed and gave me so much more than I ever expected.  Continue to bless our lives together with the pure love only you have.  In Jesus name I pray.  Amen!