Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
(1 Corinthians 13:4-7, NASB)
Love endures all things.
For the last 14 days, we’ve looked at different attributes of love as described by the apostle Paul. This last attribute reminds me that true loving relationships are marathons, not sprints. They’re enduring, long-lasting, strong. This is especially true—or should be—in marriage.
Our world would tell us that love is all passion, and when the passion dies, so does love. Passion is a sprint. And it does ebb and flow. So if your focus is on passion, you’ll hit the finish line and then think it’s all over. The race has been run; now onto the next sprint ... Thus the tragic divorce statistics we see.
Love is so much more than passion. Love is intimacy—emotional, spiritual, and physical. As I mentioned yesterday, my husband and I have been married almost 23 years, and believe me, there have been times when passion has stagnated. There have even been times when I really didn’t like what Russ did—and wondered “who are you and what are you doing in my house?” It was during those times when I chose to love him.
Russ is my best friend. He’s the one who knows me inside and out—and loves me anyway. He’s the one who puts up with my bad moods (yes, I do have them occasionally!), who supports my passion for ministry, who cooks yummy meals, who takes care of those "handyman" things around the house, who cares for me when I'm not feeling well, and whom I know will be there for me no matter what.
Our love has endured. If you’re married, please don’t listen to the world’s lies. The grass really isn’t greener on the other side. It’s probably just Astroturf—a facsimile of the real thing. And if you're still single, please hear me: Plan on running a marathon when you marry.
Choose to love your mate. Love, honor, and cherish, even through the difficult times, even through those times when your mate just isn’t lovable.
Run the race. Finish the marathon.
Endure.
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