It is not something that I readily admit - but I am getting old! To be fair, I reckon that I am still "young in spirit", but my physical body isn't as sprightly as it once was! Needless to say, the same is true for my dear wife. Going only by her physical appearance, she is not the girl to whom I was married heading towards fifty years ago! There is a little more of her; she has some wrinkles where wrinkles didn't exist before; she has some medical conditions of which we would never have thought on our wedding day. Yet, to me, even if to no-one else, she is still a beautiful woman whom I not only love deeply, but whom I still fancy!
How could that be? I have never fancied a woman of her age before - and I don't fancy any of the women of her age whom I know today! If I were to analyse that situation, I believe that I would quickly come to the conclusion that it is because I don't look at her objectively, but through "love-tinted spectacles". She is not just any woman heading towards seventy years of age; she is my wife - and the best wife I could ever have had.
When we read the letters of Paul in the New Testament, we discover that he uses marriage as an analogy, or illustration, of the Christian life. I believe that my relationship with my wife can certainly be used in such a way. You see, when Father God looks at me - and you, if you are a disciple of Jesus, born again by the work of God the Holy Spirit in your life - he doesn't see my failings; my weakness; my sin. He sees Jesus, and His shed blood and righteousness and, in Him, I am fully accepted - I am loved. Father God looks at me, we might say, through "love-tinted spectacles".
Of course, His love for me is infinitely greater than my deepest love for my wife. Love is the very essence of His Being. Twice, John tells us that "God is love" (I John 4:7, 16). And He has expressed that love in the most amazing way possible. "God loved the world (that included you and me!) so much that, in the Persona* of the Son, He gave Himself to die on a cross, paying the just penalty for your sins and mine that, if we are willing to place our trust, wholly and unreservedly, in Him for salvation, we may experience, here and now, His own life within us - a life that never ends." (John 3:16 - my somewhat expanded paraphrase!).
One of the wonderful aspects of the love that my wife and I share is that it is mutual. She responds to my love for her, and I respond to her love for me. The same thing is necessary of we are to appropriate the amazing love of God - we must respond, in confession, repentance, faith, and obedience.
Have you ever done that? Have you admitted that, like me, you are a sinner? Have you accepted that you are unable to do anything about your sin? Do you realise that He has done all - that, as Paul wrote to the believers in Ephesus it is: "... by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God - not because of works, lest any man should boast."? The way is open for you - and if I may be of any assistance, please feel free to contact me using the e-mail address above. It is not my prime address, but I do check it from time to time, and will respond as soon as I see you message. May you respond to His great love with the love and devotion of your own heart - and to Him be all the praise and the glory.
* This is explained in the chapter on "The Trinity" in my book Great Words of the Faith. Please remember that I make no financial profit from any of my books (or from this blog!). All royalties on the books are sent directly to the bank account of Release International, supporting the persecuted Church.
1 comment:
My wife and I are octogenarians, married for 58 years and are at one with your thoughts here.Your articles are a blessing which we share with others, usually by your blog address.
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