The initial spark of love is easy! The maintaining of the flame requires obedience and self sacrifice!
As imperfect humanity born into a matrix of sin and death then being redeemed in our spirits and still with free will and still choosing many times our lower nature of selfishness, love not only with a spouse or one another and ultimately with God can be hard to maintain!
What is Love?
”Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.“ I Corinthians 13:4-7 NKJV
Love is reflected in a behavior
That behavior can be summed up in self sacrifice
Agape love is only seeking the benefit of the other person
Love places value on the other person! The object of one’s love feels a sense of admiration. Senses honor and respect!
So it is with the Lord. His presence must be valued
”I sleep, but my heart is awake; It is the voice of my beloved! He knocks, saying, “Open for me, my sister, my love, My dove, my perfect one; For my head is covered with dew, My locks with the drops of the night.” I have taken off my robe; How can I put it on again? I have washed my feet; How can I defile them?“ Song of Solomon 5:2-3 NKJV
I have taken off my robe and it is inconvenient to put it back on!
Not suited to one’s comfort, needs or purpose
Washing of feet was preparing in eastern times for going to bed! Must I defile my feet by getting up?
Again this was inconvenient
Our value of the one who loves us is based on our quick reaction of obedience and self sacrifice!
The cost is irrelevant
Whatever it costs we will pay it
The lover came to the door seeking love! The bride was in a comfortable state and did not value her lover so when she finally got up he was gone!
”Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.“ Revelation 2:4 NKJV
Pretend we have no strength, or we have no time, and think we may be excused. Making excuses is making light of Christ.
It’s offensive to the spirit of love
We will be taught to value His prompting
The more you have to pay for something the more you will value it
We must call our souls to awake with love for our beloved
When she got up and saw her beloved gone she was not in despair nor did she retract but persevered
”I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, That you tell him I am lovesick!“ Song of Solomon 5:8 NKJV
The Lord know that He is dealing with falling humanity and must train us to kill the flesh with its appetite and idolatry
”Catch us the foxes, The little foxes that spoil the vines, For our vines have tender grapes.“ Song of Solomon 2:15
He summons intimacy and love – He loves us, values our affection! The ingredients of sustained love!
”My beloved spoke, and said to me: “Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away. For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove Is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth her green figs, And the vines with the tender grapes Give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away! “O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, In the secret places of the cliff, Let me see your face, Let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, And your face is lovely.” Song of Solomon 2:10-14
”My beloved is mine, and I am his. Song of Solomon 2:16 NKJV
”I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, That you tell him I am lovesick!” Song of Solomon 5:8 NKJV
”I am my beloved’s, And his desire is toward me.“ Song of Solomon 7:10 NKJV
Love can’t be stopped but it will be proven!
”Set me as a seal upon your heart, As a seal upon your arm; For love is as strong as death, Jealousy as cruel as the grave; Its flames are flames of fire, A most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love, Nor can the floods drown it. If a man would give for love All the wealth of his house, It would be utterly despised.“ Song of Solomon 8:6-7 NKJV
”Hang my locket around your neck, wear my ring on your finger. Love is invincible facing danger and death. Passion laughs at the terrors of hell. The fire of love stops at nothing— it sweeps everything before it. Flood waters can’t drown love, torrents of rain can’t put it out. Love can’t be bought, love can’t be sold— it’s not to be found in the marketplace. Song of Songs 8:6-7 MSG
