Couples - What It Means to Love

"And as the Church submits to Christ, so let a wife submit in everything to her husband. As for you, husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her." - Ephesians 5:24-25

We all know God is our Father, but also throughout history there have been many comparisons to God's relationship with us to that of a husband and wife. The relationship between a couple is one of a sublime, deeper love, one characterized by a yearning to be with that other person. The Old Testament book Song of Songs reads as a poem between lovers but it is actually about the soul's longing to be connected to God. And now in the New Testament, we have a comparison between Christ's love for us and marriage between a man and a woman.

The main theme in this bible verse from Paul's letter to the Ephesians is to love your partner in the same way Jesus has loved us. And how has Jesus proven His love for us? Besides obviously dying on the cross and sacrificing Himself for our well-being, He lived a life of service, washing His disciples' feet instead of the other way around. He listened to the crowds and fed them. He healed them when they were sick and He spent time with them. But if you think about the main reason Jesus did all of this, you realize what our main role should be as husbands and wives/ boyfriends and girlfriends - to bring our partner to God. Every single thing Jesus did in His ministry was to give those He loved eternal life and joy in God. If you really love the person you're with, the ultimate way of proving your love and intentions for that person is to make sure they're right with God. You love this person so much that not only do you take care of their physical and emotional needs, but their spiritual needs as well. And as their soul grows closer to God, so will your relationship, as everything which has God as its foundation can weather any storm and overcome any obstacle.

Today's Prayer:
Lord, You created man and woman to be with one another and love each other as You have loved us. Help me to bring the gift of Your love to my partner and open their heart to receive You fully. Help us to grow together in You. In Your Name we pray, amen.