"Love Is A Choice"

Love is a Choice

True love is not something we trip into and out of easily. God's love for us endures all things and does not change, even when we do. He doesn't love us for measuring up to a certain standard. He loves us because He is love himself. There is not one thing he does that is not motivated by love. When we fail, He does not reject us, but in his compassion reaches out to restore us. Though he sees the hardness, blindness and hypocrisy in our hearts, he still loves us. He loves us enough to not overlook these things, because he knows they will destroy us.

He loves us with a consuming, passionate, holy, jealous and gentle love. He loves us so much that he continually offers us forgiveness, comfort, encouragement, peace and joy. Finally, Jesus showed that He loves us more than his own life when he laid it down for us.

Because He loves us in this way, so we also are to love each other. Nowhere is God's love for us better illustrated than in marriage. "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word, that He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such things that she might be holy and faultless. Even so husbands should love their wives as (being in a sense) their own bodies.

He who loves his wife loves himself. For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and carefully protects and cherishes it, as Christ does the church. We are member’s parts of his body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is very great, but I speak concerning (the relation of) Christ and the church.

However, let each man of you without exception love his wife (being in a sense) his very own self; and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him and loves and admires him exceedingly" (Ephesians 5: 25-33, Amplified Bible).

I'd love to hear how your sharing and showing Love to Your Mate.