A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation.
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to this ministry"It [love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 13:7,8).
Brooksyne and I sure enjoy meeting people and hearing their stories. Recently we sat across from a couple at a fellowship meal who had been married fifty-three years. It's very inspiring these days to know people who have an enduring marriage but this couple went on to tell us they also share the same birthday.
That's really neat and rather
unusual. This is the first time in my life I met a married couple who
celebrated their birthdays on the same day. I know a few people who
share my birthday such as a young man in one of the churches I served
who is about 25 years younger. In fact I can check on the internet and
not surprisingly I also share the same birthday with some famous
people. So do you!But the story grew more intriguing as the couple went on to say that they not only have the same birthday but they were born on the very same day in the very same hospital. In fact since their birth records do not specify the precise time of birth they don't even know who is older! They've known each other since they were children and both recall having an "interest" in the other as youngsters.
An enduring marriage requires persevering love. In over fifty years you can imagine the bumps and hard times this couple has been through. Brooksyne and I know this as we approach our thirtieth anniversary in several months. In my premarital discussions with young couples who are preparing for marriage I candidly share of this reality.
We need a commitment to persevering love. This is expressed in loyalty, a great Scriptural virtue that's sure on the decline. Loyalty is faithfulness expressed in our relationships. It's keeping the promises we make which ultimately reveals our faithfulness to the Lord. In the daily Scripture from the "Love Chapter" we read these characteristics of love. "It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
This persevering love foundationally needs to be expressed to the Lord but is also expressed to other people; in our marriages, families and friendships.
What about you today? Is loyalty and persevering love a character trait in your life? Loyalty has been defined as "Using difficult times to demonstrate my commitment to God and to those He has called me to serve." May God give us each persevering love!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen C. Weber
Brooksyne's prayer: Lord Jesus, hear our earnest prayer this day. May You, the supreme example of persevering love, help us to daily nurture persevering love in our human relationships. May we be loyal to our partners, always looking to their interests above our own. May Your grace help us to live above the inevitable trials. Enable us to overcome daily temptations as we rely on You. Grant understanding, forbearance, and a persevering love that will last a lifetime until You call us to our eternal home.
Note: I am aware that some readers have experienced or are even now experiencing the terrible pain of disloyalty and broken promises, particularly in marriage. May God bring His healing and peace to your hearts. He always demonstrates persevering love! Others have themselves been grievously disloyal at some point in your past. Thank God for His forgiveness and I urge you to see this message as a challenge to demonstrate loyalty and persevering love from this point forward.
Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; and the King James Version.
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