The Love Dare 365 days,
Stephen and Alex Kendrick
Stephen and Alex Kendrick
LOVE BRINGS UNITY
Day 265
Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. - John 17:11
Day 266
One of the most impressive things about the Bible is the way it is linked together, with consistent themes running throughout, from beginning to end. Though written over a span of 1,600 years and composed by more than forty writers of various backgrounds and skill levels, God sovereignly authored it with one united voice. And He continues to speak through it today without ever going off-message. Unity. Togetherness. Oneness. These are the unshakable hallmarks of our God.
Day 267
Father, Son, and Spirit are in pristine unity. They serve each Other, love each Other, and honor each Other. Though equal, they rejoice when the Other is praised. Though distinct, they are One, indivisible. And because this relationship is so special - so representative of the vastness and grandeur of God - He has chosen to let us experience an aspect of it.
Day 268
In the unique relationship of husband and wife, two distinct individuals are spiritually united into "one flesh" (Genesis 2:24). And "what God has joined together, let man not separate" (Mark 10:9 NIV). This mystery is so compelling - and the love between husband and wife so intertwined and complete - that God uses the imagery of marriage to explain His love for the church.
Day 269
What would happen in your marriage if you devoted yourself to loving, honoring, and serving your wife in all things? What if you determined that the preservation of your oneness with this woman was worth every sacrifice and expression of love you could make? What would change in your home if you took that approach to your relationship on a daily basis?
Day 270
What would happen if you made it your mission to do everything possible to promote togetherness of heart with your husband? What if every threat to your unity was treated as a poison, a cancer, an enemy to be eliminated by love, humility, and selflessness? What would your marriage become if you were never again willing to see your oneness torn apart?
Day 271
The unity of the Trinity, as seen from beyond the reaches of history past and continuing into the future, is evidence of the power of oneness. It is unbreakable. It is unending. And it is this same spiritual reality that disguises itself as your home and mailing address. Though painted in the colors of work schedules and doctor visits and trips to the grocery, oneness is the eternal thread that runs through the daily experience of what you call "your marriage," giving it a purpose to be defended for life.
Day 272
Love this one who is as much a part of your body as you are. Serve this one whose needs cannot be separated from your own. Honor this one who, when raised upon the pedestal of your love, raises you up too in the eyes of God, all at the same time.
LOVE and MARRIAGE
Day 273
"A man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh." (Genesis 2:24) This verse is God's original blueprint for how marriage is supposed to work. It involves a tearing away and a knitting together. It reconfigures existing relationships while establishing a brand new one.
Day 274
Unity is a marriage quality to be guarded at great cost. The purpose of "leaving," of course, is not to abandon all contact with the past but rather to preserve the unique oneness that marriage is designed to capture. Only in oneness can you become all that God means for you to be.
Day 275
With God's help, you are able to achieve oneness in your decision making, even when you begin from differing viewpoints.
Day 276
With God's help you are able to achieve oneness in your sexual affections toward each other, even if either or both of you have memories of impurity in your pre-marital past.
Day 277
God's decision to make you "one flesh" in marriage can make anything possible.
Day 278
It's not out of character for couples of all kinds - even Christian couples - to ignore God's design for marriage, thinking they know better than He does. Genesis 2:24 may have sounded nice and noble when it was wrapped around the sharing of vows at the wedding. But as a fundamental principle to be put into place and practiced as a living fact - this just seems too difficult to do. But this is what you must make any sacrifice to reclaim.
Day 279
May they all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You. - John 17:21 HCSB
LOVE MEETS SEXUAL NEEDS
Day 280
The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. - 1 Corinthians 7:3
Day 281
Some people think the Bible has nothing good to say about sex, as though all God seems concerned about is telling us when not to do it and who not to do it with. In reality, however, the Bible has a great deal to say about sex and the blessing it can be for both husband and wife. Even its boundaries and restrictions are God's ways of keeping our sexual experiences at a level far beyond any of those advertised on television or in the movies.
Day 282
In Christian marriage, romance is meant to thrive and flourish. After all, it was created by God. It's all part of celebrating what God has given, becoming one with our mate while simultaneously pursuing purity and holiness. He delights in us when this happens.
Day 283
The biblical foundations of marriage were originally expressed in the creation of Adam and Eve. She was made to be "a helper suitable for him" (Genesis 2:18). The unity of their relationship and physical bodies was so strong, they were said to become "one flesh" (Genesis 2:24).
Day 284
Oneness is a hallmark of every marriage. In the act of romance, we join our hearts to each other in an expression of love that no other form of communication can match. That's why "the marriage bed is to be undefiled" (Hebrews 13:4). We are not to share this same experience with anyone else.
Day 285
God established marriage with a "one flesh" mentality. "The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does" (1 Corinthians 7:4).
Day 286
You are the one person called and designated by God to meet your spouse's sexual needs.
Day 287
Love is the only way to reestablish loving union between each other. All the things the Love Dare entails - patience, kindness, selflessness, thoughtfulness, protection, honor, forgiveness - will play a role in renewing your sexual intimacy. The heart of marriage is one of giving ourselves to each other to meet the other's needs.
Day 288
When the love of Christ is the foundation of your marriage, the strength of your friendship and sexual relationship can be enjoyed at a level this world can never know.
Day 289
God set His affections on you and went to every length to draw you into desiring Him. Now it is your turn to pay the loving price to win the heart of your mate. When you do, you will enjoy the pure delight that flows when sex is done for all the right reasons. And as if that's not enough, you will also have the opportunity to "glorify God in your body" (1 Corinthians 6:20). How beautiful.
Day 290
How beautiful and how delightful you are, my love. - Song of Solomon 7:6
LOVE COMPLETS EACH OTHER
Day 291
If two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? - Ecclesiastes 4:11
Day 292
God creates marriage by taking a man and a woman and uniting them as one. And although love must be willing to act alone if necessary, it is always better when it is not just a solo performance.
Day 293
Love can function on its own if there is no other way, but there is a "more excellent way" (1 Corinthians 12:31). And love dares not to stop loving before it gets there. This "completing" aspect of love was revealed to mankind from the beginning. God originated the human race with a male and a female - two similar but complementary designs meant to function in harmony.
Day 294
Our bodies are made for each other. Our natures and temperaments provide balance, enabling us to more effectively complete the tasks at hand. Our oneness can produce children, and our teamwork can best raise them to health and maturity. Where one is weak, the other is strong. When one needs building up, the other is equipped to enhance and encourage. We multiply one another's joys and divide one another's sorrows.
Day 295
The Scriptures say, "Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up" (Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10). It's like your two hands, which don't just coexist together but multiply the effectiveness of the other. In order to do what they do, neither is quite complete without the other.
Day 296
Although our differences can frequently be the source of misunderstanding and conflict, they have been created by God and can be ongoing blessings if we respect them.
Day 297
God made wives to complete their husbands, and He gives them insight that in many cases is kept from their men. If this discernment is ignored, it is often to the detriment of the manmaking the decision.
Day 298
The effectiveness of your marriage is dependent upon both of you working together. Don't disqualify his or her right to voice an opinion on matters that affect both of you. Love realizes that God has put you together on purpose. And though you may wind up disagreeing with your spouse's perspectives, you should still give their views respect and strong consideration. This honors God's design for your relationship and guards the oneness He intends.
Day 299
Joined together, you are greater than your independent parts. You need each other. You complete each other. Recognize that your spouse is integral to your future success.
Day 300
Put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. - Colossians 3:14
LOVE CELEBRATE GODLINESS
Day 301
[Love] does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. - 1 Corinthians 13:6
Day 302
The meaning of "real life" changes dramatically when we understand that God's Word is the ultimate expression of what real life is. The teachings it contains are not just good guesses at what should matter. They are principles that reflect the way things really are, the way God created life to be. His ideals and instructions are the only pathways to real blessing, and when we see people following them in obedience to the Lord, it should cause us to rejoice.
Day 303
Love rejoices most in the things that please God. When your mate is growing in Christian character, persevering in faith, seeking purity, and embracing roles of giving and service - becoming spiritually responsible in your home - the Bible says we should be celebrating it.
Day 304
"Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness" - not in ourselves and not in our mate. Rather, love "rejoices with the truth."
Day 305
What more could we want for our wife or husband than for them to experience God's best in life? Be happy for any success your spouse enjoys. But save your heartiest congratulations for those times when they are honoring God with their worship and obedience.
Day 306
I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart. - Psalm 101:2
Day 307
Mighty sequoia trees tower hundreds of feet in the air and can withstand intense environmental pressures. One of the secrets to the strength of the mighty sequoia tree is what goes on below the surface. Unlike many trees, they reach out and interlock their roots with the sequoias around them. Each becomes empowered and reinforced by the strength of the others. The secret to the sequoia is also a key to maintaining a strong, healthy marriage.
Day 308
A couple that faces problems alone is more likely to fall apart during tough times. However, the ones who interlock their lives in a network of other strong marriages radically increase their chances of surviving the fiercest of storms.
Day 309
It is crucial that a husband and wife pursue godly advice, healthy friendships, and experienced mentors. Everyone needs wise counsel throughout life. Wise people constantly seek it and gladly receive it. Fools never ask for it and then ignore it when it's given to them.
Day 310
"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel" (Proverbs 12:15). Gaining wise counsel is like having a detailed road map and a personal guide while traveling on a long, challenging journey. It can be the difference between continual success or the destruction of another marriage. It is vital that you invite strong couples to share the wisdom they have gained through their own successes and failures.
Day 311
Wisdom is more valuable than gold. Not receiving it is like letting priceless coins pass through your fingers.
Day 312
Good marriage mentors warn you before you make a bad decision. They encourage you when you are ready to give up. And they cheer you on as you reach new levels of intimacy in your marriage. Do you have someone in your life who shoots straight with you?
Day 313
The Bible says, "Encourage one another day after day . . . so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin" (Hebrews 3:13).
Day 314
Here's an important reminder from Scripture: "Each one of us will give an account of himself to God" (Romans 14:12). This appointment is unbreakable. And though we're all ultimately responsible for the way we approach it, we can surely stand as much help as others can give. It might just be the relational influence that takes your marriage from mediocre to amazing.
Day 315
In abundance of counselors there is victory. - Proverbs 11:14
LOVE is ACCOUNTABLE
Day 316
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. - Proverbs 15:22 NIV
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