No Greater Love

The last girls' Bible study session took an unexpected God-turn. We were talking about commitment, which led to a discussion on love and marriage (which appears to be the final destination for practically any discussion with teenage girls). I shared the story of my not-so-great college years with them. Afterwards, one of the girls came up to me and told me that when I talk about R and our life together, it seems like a movie.

I was surprised, because I'd just spent our time together trying to convince the girls that real-life love is not a Nicholas Sparks book (my girls are enamored with "The Notebook", while my idea of romance is coming home to find clean clothes and dishes!). Love's not all butterflies and candlelight and roses. The world tries to sell us a bag of lies that love is a feeling, a Hallmark card or jewelry store commercial. Everyone wants the love that's found in the movies, not the love of the everyday, steadfast variety. I thought I'd made myself clear to the girls, but this comment made me wonder.

As I was driving home after Bible study, the Lord reminded me of these verses. I decided then to choose them for Memory Monday:

My command is this: love one another each other as I have loved you. No greater love has any no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

~ John 15:12-13

I've always thought that Jesus was predicting his death for us, and telling us that we should be willing to die for those we love. Yet laying down our lives is much more practical than that...it's a giving of ourselves, letting go of our rights and putting another's needs and desires ahead of our own. You see, every day for the past 15 years, R has laid down his life for me. He has exemplified this passage.

Oh, that I would do the same!

I won't find perfect love til I get to Heaven. In the meanwhile, my Jesus has given me a glimpse of what it's going to be like. I can honestly say it isn't "The Notebook".

It's much, much more.

For next week...my 2009 theme verses:

Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.

~Proverbs 3:5-6 (AMP)