Marriage & Parenting Made Easyنموونە

The Heart of Marriage: Chamber 1: Love:

Biblical marriage and parenting are two of the best resources we have for sharing God’s heart for the world with those who don’t know Him.

It’s not just about building a godly home so others get to learn about Jesus. It’s about getting a taste of heaven on earth ourselves. Besides knowing Christ, being a husband and a father have been my two greatest joys. But it hasn’t all been hearts and flowers. It hasn’t always been easy (for them more than for me!). Sometimes it requires hard work. But you know what? Good things come at a price.

Sadly, too many people spend more time, money, and effort planning their wedding than they do preparing for or tending to their marriage. Then they spend a whole lot more money on attorneys and therapists.

I believe that both marriage and parenting reveal the heart of God to a world desperate to know real and lasting love. Just as a healthy heart has four chambers that need to beat in harmony for a body to function at its best, both marriage and parenting have four essential components.

The first is none other than love. Jesus tells us a lot about love and how God views love in John 14:9-13.

That is some powerful stuff! That’s a wrap—the first chamber of your marriage’s heart is love.

But hold on a second! Just what does that really mean? What actually is love? Let’s see what the apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.

Okay, so we know what love is, but . . . how do we do it? Where do we find it within ourselves to love one another—to love our spouse? Love comes from God and God alone. We see this in 1 John 4:7-9. To love someone and fully love them, you first need to understand that you are loved abundantly by God!

But are you sure all these love passages apply to my marriage? YES!

Even if they didn’t, consider what Peter says about love and healthy relationships in 1 Peter 3:7-9. Among other things, he says to LOVE one another! The first and arguably most important aspect of marriage is love. The lifeblood of your marriage cannot flow if the love chamber is weak.