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Millard Kinnison on April 10, 2024

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Together in Christ: 'The Mystery of Love' — Proverbs 30:18-19

Tuesday, April 9, 2024

There are three things that amaze me — no, four things that I don’t understand: how an eagle glides through the sky, how a snake slithers on a rock, how a ship navigates the ocean, how a man loves a woman.

— Proverbs 30:18-19 NLT

Key Thought

The whys and hows of love remain a mystery. What captures the heart of one person with another? What stirs the yearning to share life with another? What motivates the unpredictable affections of one human faithfully being able to support, love, and walk beside another for a lifetime?

For believers in Christ, these questions remain mysterious but not unanswerable. We believe the Holy Spirit empowers us to love [1] and also guides us in our decisions, as well as guiding us to those we come to know. [2] In fact, the power of self-sacrificing, faithful love is the greatest of all spiritual gifts. [3] We call this ἀγάπη (agape) love, the kind of love defined by God's actions for us in Jesus. [4] So, the power behind this mysterious and deep spiritual love for another is rooted in the nature and example of God. We love in this way because we are taught, shown, and empowered to love this way. [5]

Still, the way of love between a man and a woman remains shrouded in mystery! Such affection involves attraction, desire, interest, yearning, commitment, need, presence, sacrifice, tenderness, and a host of other elements that enable true love to last between a man and a woman.

If this kind of loving relationship blesses you, thank God as you also ask the Holy Spirit to lead you into a deeper and broader understanding of this love. [6] If you have not found this kind of love in your marriage, continue to be faithful and ask for God's help for you to grow in your love, desire, attraction, and commitment to each other. [7] Serve and do loving acts for each other [8] as you honor the other above yourself. [9] Most of all, embrace the mystery of love as you seek to honor the Lord and each other in your relationship. [10] Emotions and attractional sentiments can come and go, and passion may ebb and flow, but true love seeks to grow and embrace the mystery of God's power working through us to express His love through us with each other.

[1] Romans 5:5; Galatians 5:22-23.

[2] Romans 1:2, 8:1, 9-14; 1 Corinthians 16:9; 2 Corinthians 2:12.

[3] 1 Corinthians 12:31, 13:13.

[4] John 3:16-17; 1 John 3:16-18, 4:7-12.

[5] John 13:34-35, 15:12, 17; 1 Thessalonians 5:13; 1 John 4:11, 19.

[6] Ephesians 3:16-19.

[7] Philippians 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:10.

[8] Galatians 5:13; Philippians 2:6-11.

[9] Ephesians 5:21; Philippians 2:3-4 NIV.

[10] Romans 12:9-12.

TODAY'S PRAYER

O Father, teach me how to love You more and also show me how to love. I embrace the mystery of love between a man and a woman. I also commit to honor You in this kind of love and serve the person You have led me to love. I ask for the power to love through the presence of the Holy Spirit as I seek to honor You and the one I love with a holy, passionate, and lasting love. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.