My Grandpa passed away in 2020. He lived for only ten months after my Grandma had passed. I was not able to be there, but my aunt described his passing in the following way: He decided to stop all meds. Hasn’t been doing well. When the nurse’s aide came in, he was very excited. He said, “I have to get ready. I have a date. She’s waiting for me. I am tired. Please take me to my bed.”
Most couples today do not love with this kind of love. People are trained by worldly philosophies to choose their mates based on how their mates will benefit them. Then, they leave their mates or treat them poorly because their mates were not meeting their expectations. People marry for companionship or physical desire. Marriage is a commitment and a promise. For us to love our spouses is a principle.
Real love is not lust. It is not just good company. It is not affection. Real love is giving without seeking anything in return, being slow to anger, suffering long, and just simply being kind. It is not one spouse living for the other just so the other will live for them. It is not “I’ll love you if you love me,” or “I’ll give to you if you give to me.” When I think of marriages like my grandparents’ and other couples’ that contain that true devotion to one another, I think of when Edgar Allen Poe said, “…we loved with a love that was more than love…” because the commitment that God intends for us to have for our mates is more than the world’s love. Charity is how the Bible describes this kind of love that lasts. This is the love that creates a bond that cannot be broken, even by death.
Those of us who are married have a responsibility to love our husbands with God’s love, a selfless love. We are not guaranteed another day with them. We need to love them while we have them.
To those who are not married: Be patient and wait for the one God has planned for you. I know it gets so old to hear that over and over. I know waiting is not easy, but do not settle for just anyone. Wait for “the one” whom God has intended for you. Do not marry for looks. Do not marry just because you are lonely and enjoy that person’s company. Wait for God to knit your heart with the soulmate He has for you. It is worth waiting for that love that is more than love!
by Elizabeth Myers