An Everlasting Love
Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.
When I married my husband I had no idea of what an everlasting love would look like. I didn’t have a blueprint on making a marriage work and keeping it together because I grew up in a home where there was conflict, infidelity, and control. I thought that these things were something that you had to put up with in your marriage.
When My husband found me, he was totally different from what I grew up seeing. He was kind, calm, easy going and non-confrontational. When conflict would arise, he would walk away but I would be ready to combat the situation. He had a stronger relation with God, so he brought that into our marriage. It wasn’t until I started studying the word with him and applying it in my marriage that I began to understand what an everlasting love would look like.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
This is the blueprint that we use for our marriage. Weve learned to be patient with one another and respect each other's difference. We lead with love and kindness in how we talk to one another and how we treat each other. We don’t dishonor each other by lying or saying disrespectful things. I’m not saying that there won’t be times when you may get angry, but we’ve learned to resolve things and keep moving. The bible says Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:" We’ve learned to make up quickly before going to bed so that we can sleep restfully. Don’t keep a tally of past wrong doings. You have to let stuff go because hanging on to negativity only keeps you in bondage. Always be truthful and honest and trustworthy because without those core attributes your marriage will not last.
To have everlasting love takes hard work, commitment and most importantly love. You have to love one another the way God loves you when he gave his only son and as long as we believe in him and acknowledge him, we have everlasting life. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
So that sums it up for me who wouldn’t want an everlasting life so that we can continue God’s everlasting love. My husband and I will be married 29 years this Valentine’s Day and I look forward to spending the rest of my days with him.