Today is the 15th wedding anniversary of the Singletons!!! Sometimes we hear the (oft. overused) saying, ‘I love her more today then when we first married!’ But it’s pretty awesome when the saying becomes reality!
I Love you Michelle!
Lady Love…
Another oldie but goodie. I’m not even going to venture into what this song was probably about–for my purposes, it’s about learning to love your lady–really love your lady.
- Not lust after her
- Not use her
- Not display her as a trophy
- Not like you love your car
- Not as ‘one of the guys…’
- Eros is passionate love, with sensual desire and longing. The Modern Greek word “erotas” means “intimate love;” however, eros does not have to be sexual in nature. Eros can be interpreted as a love for someone whom you love more than the philia, love of friendship. It can also apply to dating relationships as well as marriage.
- Philia (φιλία philía) means friendship in modern Greek. It is a dispassionate virtuous love, a concept developed by Aristotle. It includes loyalty to friends, family, and community, and requires virtue, equality and familiarity. In ancient texts, philos denoted a general type of love, used for love between family, between friends, a desire or enjoyment of an activity, as well as between lovers.
No, I’m talking about Agape love.
Agape is one of many New Testament (Greek) words for love. Others include,
- Agape would best be translated to mean a caring love for someone, a love that loves another person as themselves. This is a GODLY love and can be manifest even if you do not necessarily like someone or even know them. Only God himself can give this kind of love (John 3:16). Nearly all of the references to Jesus and love are of this variety even the one where John laid on Jesus’ bosom as the one Jesus loved.
Our key verse for our Marriage/relationship series is Ephesians 5:33, “let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she(B) respects her husband.” But the love here is neither Philia nor Eros, it’s Agape–the deepest, strongest and most powerful love possible. This love is only possible in Christ. The world does not know this kind of love. It’s the same as Jesus showed in giving His life on the cross to pay for our sins. He didn’t have to do it. He did it because He loves us.
Kinda changes everything huh guys?
Next time you demand respect from your wife (never a good idea–the ‘demanding’ part) ask yourself if you are “AGAPE” loving her. Chances are you’re not. Agape love almost always brings an honoring response.
Something to think about.