DAILY DEVOTIONAL, MAY 24TH
“Choose love”
The actress Cameron Diaz explained why none of her romantic relationships have led to marriage. “I think that what I’ve found . . . is that you always find the person you’re meant to be with at that time in your life. And what I’ve also found is that you have to move on from those people at certain times, because that’s the way it happens. . . . A lot of people find themselves trapped in something they’ve outgrown and are unhappy. And they don’t know how to get out of it because they think they’re supposed to make it happen.”
This attitude may be acceptable when dating, but too many people bring it into their marriage. “Till death do us part” becomes “You’re the person I want to be with at this period in my life,” and they quickly discard their spouse when they’ve “outgrown the relationship” or the chemistry is no longer working. Then, in a futile quest to “find themselves,” they tear apart their family and ruin the lives of everyone in it (Proverbs 5:15-17).
But what if love doesn’t mean “what makes me happy or meets my needs this very moment”? What if we replaced this thin view of love with the muscular love of God? “God loved the world so much that He” . . . what? Tingled with happiness? Got wobbly in the knees? Used the world to find Himself? No. “God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son” (John 3:16).
The cross is the greatest act of love, not because it filled God with warm feelings, but because God put us ahead of Himself and chose to die for us.
How about you? Will you chase Hollywood’s idea of happiness, or will you commit to spend your life with your spouse? (Proverbs 5:18). Choose love. —Mike Wittmer, Our Daily Journey
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