Love Dare- Day 29!!

Yesterday's Followup: How much of your mate's stress is caused by your lack of concern or initiative? When you expressed a desire to help, how did they receive it? Are there other needs you could meet?

Love's Motivation

Render service with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to men. -Ephesians 6.7

It does not take much experience to discover that your mate will not always motivate your love. In face, many times they will de-motivate it. More often than you'd like, it will seem difficult to find the inspiration to demonstrate your love. They may not even receive it when you try to express it. That's simply the nature of life, even in fairly healthy marriages.

But although moods and emotions can create all kinds of moving motivational targets, one is certain to stay in the same place, all the time. When God is your reason for loving, your ability to love is guaranteed.

That's because love comes from Him.

We are not meant to be in a battle with flesh and blood authorities. Not parents. Not bosses. Not enforcements. God is to become our driving motivation. Pleasing Him is to be our goal. Consider these areas :

Work: "Do your work heartily as for the Lord rather than men. Colossians 3.23

Service: "Obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely serve men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord" Colossians 3.22

Everything: " Work hard at "whatever you do... knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord whom you serve." Colossians 3.23-24

Marriage: "Wives, be subject to your husbands as is fitting in the Lord" Colossians 3.18 "Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loves the church and gave Himself up for her" Ephesians 5.25

The love that's demanded from you in marriage is not dependent on your mate's sweetness or suitability. The love between husband and wife should have one chief objective: honoring the Lord with devotion and sincerity. The fact that it blessed our beloved in the process is simply a wonderful additional benefit.

Love motivated by mere duty can not hold out very long. And love that is only motivated by favorable conditions can never be assured of enough oxygen to keep it breathing. Only love that is lifted up as an offering to God - returned to Him in gratitude for all He's done- is able to sustain itself when all other reasons have lost their ability to energize us.

If you are committed to giving your spouse the best love you possibly can- you need to shoot for love's highest motivation. Love that has God as its primary focus is unlimited in the heights it can attain.

Today's Dare

Before you see your spouse again today, pray for them by name and for their needs. Whether it comes easy for you or not, say "I love you" then express love to them in some tangible way. God to God in prayer again, thanking Him for giving you the privilege of loving this one special person- unconditionally, the way He loves both of you.