VALENTINES 2009 AN ENDURING LOVE. 1JHN 4:7-12
JOHN BLANCHARD STOOD UP FROM THE BENCH, WHERE HE WAS SITTING, STRAIGHTENED HIS ARMY UNIFORM, AND STUDIED THE CROWD OF PEOPLE MAKING THEIR WAY THROUGH GRAND CENTRAL STATION. HE LOOKED FOR THE GIRL WHOSE HEART HE KNEW, BUT WHOSE FACE HE DIDN’T, THE GIRL WITH THE ROSE.
HIS INTEREST IN HER HAD BEGUN THIRTEEN MONTHS BEFORE IN A FLORIDA LIBRARY. TAKING A BOOK OFF THE SHELF HE FOUND HIMSELF INTRIGUED, NOT WITH THE WORDS OF THE BOOK, BUT WITH THE NOTES PENCILLED IN THE MARGIN. THE SOFT HANDWRITING REFLECTED A THOUGHTFUL SOUL AND INSIGHTFUL MIND. IN THE FRONT OF THE BOOK, HE DISCOVERED THE PREVIOUS OWNER’S NAME, MISS HOLLIS MAYNELL. WITH TIME AND EFFORT HE LOCATED HER ADDRESS. SHE LIVED IN NEW YORK CITY. HE WROTE HER A LETTER INTRODUCING HIMSELF AND INVITING HER TO CORRESPOND.
THE NEXT DAY HE WAS SHIPPED OVERSEAS FOR SERVICE IN WORLD WAR II. DURING THE NEXT YEAR AND ONE-MONTH THE TWO GREW TO KNOW EACH OTHER THROUGH THE MAIL. EACH LETTER WAS A SEED FALLING ON A FERTILE HEART. A ROMANCE WAS BUDDING. BLANCHARD REQUESTED A PHOTOGRAPH, BUT SHE REFUSED. SHE FELT THAT IF HE REALLY CARED, IT WOULDN’T MATTER WHAT SHE LOOKED LIKE. JOHN THOUGHT IT WAS STRANGE, BUT IT WAS TRUE HER LETTERS HAS SUSTAINED HIM , IN FACT ALLTHOUGH HE HAD NEVER SEEN HER HE WAS IN LOVE WITH HER.
THEN THE DAY FINALLY CAME FOR HIM TO RETURN FROM EUROPE, THEY SCHEDULED THEIR FIRST MEETING – 7:00 PM AT THE GRAND CENTRAL STATION IN NEW YORK. “YOU’LL RECOGNIZE ME,” SHE WROTE, “BY THE RED ROSE I’LL BE WEARING ON MY LAPEL.” SO AT 7:00 HE WAS IN THE STATION LOOKING FOR A GIRL WHOSE HEART HE LOVED, BUT WHOSE FACE HE’D NEVER SEEN. I’LL LET MR. BLANCHARD TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED:
A YOUNG WOMAN WAS COMING TOWARD ME, HER FIGURE LONG AND SLIM. HER BLONDE HAIR LAY BACK IN CURLS FROM HER DELICATE EARS; HER EYES WERE BLUE AS FLOWERS. HER LIPS AND CHIN HAD A GENTLE FIRMNESS, AND IN HER PALE GREEN SUIT SHE WAS LIKE SPRINGTIME COME ALIVE. I STARTED TOWARD HER, ENTIRELY FORGETTING TO NOTICE THAT SHE WAS NOT WEARING A ROSE. AS I MOVED, A SMALL, PROVOCATIVE SMILE CURVED HER LIPS. “GOING MY WAY, SAILOR?” SHE MURMURED.
ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLY I MADE ONE STEP CLOSER TO HER, AND THEN I SAW HOLLIS MAYNELL. SHE WAS STANDING ALMOST DIRECTLY BEHIND THE GIRL. A WOMAN WELL PAST 40, SHE HAD GRAYING HAIR TUCKED UNDER A WORN HAT. SHE WAS MORE THAN PLUMP, HER THICK-ANKLED FEET THRUST INTO LOW-HEELED SHOES. THE GIRL IN THE GREEN SUIT WAS WALKING QUICKLY AWAY. I FELT AS THOUGH I WAS SPLIT IN TWO, SO KEEN WAS MY DESIRE TO FOLLOW HER, AND YET SO DEEP WAS MY LONGING FOR THE WOMAN WHOSE SPIRIT HAD TRULY COMPANIONED ME AND UPHELD MY OWN.
AND THERE SHE STOOD. HER PALE, PLUMP FACE WAS GENTLE AND SENSIBLE, HER GRAY EYES HAD A WARM AND KINDLY TWINKLE. I DID NOT HESITATE. MY FINGERS GRIPPED THE SMALL WORN BLUE LEATHER COPY OF THE BOOK THAT WAS TO IDENTIFY ME TO HER. THIS WOULD NOT BE LOVE, BUT IT WOULD BE SOMETHING PRECIOUS, SOMETHING PERHAPS EVEN BETTER THAN LOVE, A FRIENDSHIP FOR WHICH I HAD BEEN AND MUST EVER BE GRATEFUL. I SQUARED MY SHOULDERS AND SALUTED AND HELD OUT THE BOOK TO THE WOMAN, EVEN THOUGH WHILE I SPOKE I FELT CHOKED BY THE BITTERNESS OF MY DISAPPOINTMENT. “I’M LIEUTENANT JOHN BLANCHARD, AND YOU MUST BE MISS MAYNELL. I AM SO GLAD YOU COULD MEET ME; MAY I TAKE YOU TO DINNER?” THE WOMAN’S FACE BROADENED INTO A TOLERANT SMILE. “I DON’T KNOW WHAT THIS IS ABOUT, SON,” SHE ANSWERED, “BUT THE YOUNG LADY IN THE GREEN SUIT WHO JUST WENT BY, SHE BEGGED ME TO WEAR THIS ROSE ON MY COAT. AND SHE SAID IF YOU WERE TO ASK ME OUT TO DINNER, I SHOULD GO AND TELL YOU THAT SHE IS WAITING FOR YOU IN THE BIG RESTAURANT ACROSS THE STREET. SHE SAID IT WAS SOME KIND OF TEST!” “
DO YOU HAVE AN ENDURING LOVE ONE WHICH GOES BEYOND YOUR SPOUSES APPEARANCE, A LOVE WHICH ENDURES TOGETHER ONE FOR ANOTHER, DESPITE ALL THE SET BACKS,DESPITE THE HUMAN FLAWS YOUR SPOUSE HAS AND YOUR OWN. DO YOU EXPERIENCE A LOVE THAT ENDURES. OR HAS YOUR FLAME SIMPLY FLICKERING OR EVEN BEEN SNUFFED OUT.
IF SO ITS TIME TO RELIGHT YOUR FIRE!
IN REALITY RELATIONSHIPS ARE HARD THERE IS SOMETHING CALLED THE HONEYMOON PERIOD WHERE EVERYTHING IS GREAT BUT THEN AS WE BEGIN TO SETTLE DOWN, HAVE KIDS, THE YEARS ROLL ON, WE AGE, WE WRINKLE, WE GAIN A FEW POUNDS, THINGS CAN BECOME MUNDANE AND PREDICTABLE AND WE TAKE EACH OTHER FOR GRANTED AND EVEN BECOME DISTANT. SO WHAT ARE WE TO DO TO KEEP A LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER ENDURING A LIFETIME?
LOVE - IMAGINE A BOTTLE OF LOVE BEING SOLD AS A MAGIC ELIXIR – DOWN AT TESCO IT WOULD BE SOLD OUT IN HOURS.....ESPECIALLY IF IT WORKED EVERYBODY IS SEEKING LOVE ... BUT WHAT IS LOVE CAN WE EXPLAIN IT AND UN PACK IT? WHAT TYPES OF LOVE DO WE NEED IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS TO FLOURISH?
THERE ARE FOUR GREEK WORDS FOR LOVE IN THE BIBLE WHICH WE NEED TO EXPERIENCE IN OUR MARRIAGES:
THE FIRST ONE IS EROS – WHICH IS THE SEXUAL LOVE THE ONE THAT MAKES YOUR HEART MISS A BEAT. ITS GENERALLY ONE OF THE FIRST IMPULSES OF MEN PARTICULARLY TO EXPERIENCE EROS BUT ON ITS OWN ITS NOT SUFFICIENT TO KEEP A RELATIONSHIP TOGETHER.
THEN THERE IS - PHILEO – WHICH IS THE FRIENDSHIP TYPE OF LOVE, WHICH ENJOYS EACH OTHERS COMPANY. THEN THERE IS SURGASE – WHICH IS FAMILY LOVE - THE LOVE WHICH BINDS US AS BIOLOGICAL AS FAMILIES.
AND FINALLY THERE IS A AGAPE WHICH IS A SELF GIVING TYPE OF LOVE – WHICH LOOKS BEYOND OUR FAULTS THIS TYPE OF LOVE IS THE ONE ABOVE ALL OTHERS WE NEED TO DEVELOP IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS TOGETHER IF WE ARE GOING TO EXPERIENCE AN ENDURING LOVE WHICH WILL LAST A LIFETIME.
1) GOD’S ‘AGAPE’ LOVE AT THE CENTRE OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP.
A) RECEIVING GODS LOVE
AS COUPLES WE NEED TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE YOU HAVE ACCEPTED THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL THAT S DEMONSTRATED TO EACH ONE OF YOU THROUGH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. ONE OF THE SETBACKS IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP RIGHT NOW MIGHT BE THE FACT THAT ONE OF YOU DOES NOT KNOW GOD OR IS NOT PUTTING GOD FIRST IN YOUR OWN LIFE. RECEIVING CHRIST WILL OPEN YOUR HEART TO A WHOLE NEW LOVE STORY IN YOUR LIFE AND RELATIONSHIP (SWITCHING THE LIGHT ON)
1JOHN4:10 THIS IS LOVE NOT THAT WE LOVE GOD BUT THAT HE LOVED US AND GAVE US HIS SON AS A PROPITION FOR OUR SINS.
ROM 5:6 GOD DEMONSTRATES HIS LOVE TOWARDS US WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS CHRIST JESUS DIED FOR US.
JOHN 3:16 FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONE AND ONLY SON..........
THEN WITH YOUR HEART AND MIND OPEN TO THE FACT AND EXPERIENCE THAT GOD HAS DEMONSTRATED SUCH LOVE TOWARDS BOTH OF YOU, THROUGH CHRIST. YOUR RELATIONSHIP TOGETHER CAN BLOSSOM WITH BOTH OF YOU BECOMING BENEFICIARIES OF SUCH LOVE YOU WILL BE AS ONE TOGETHER IN CHRIST.
B) RECIPROCATE GODS LOVE 1JHN4: 7, 11,12
YET MORE IS NEEDED BECAUSE EVEN CHRISTIANS FACE DIVORCE AND SEPERATION. SO WHATS THE KEY WELL, HOW CAN WE EVER NOT RECIPROCATE THIS LOVE THAT WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED TOWARDS OURSELVES TOWARDS OUR SPOUSES AND ONE ANOTHER, WHO ALSO THROUGH CHRIST ARE LOVED BY GOD AS MUCH AS YOU ARE. YET WE DO!
WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS TO DEMONSTRATE GODS LOVE IN OUR MARRIAGES AND OUR RELATIONSHIPS THIS TYPE OF LOVE MUST BE SHOWN EVEN WHEN ITS COMPLETELY UNDESERVED, UNMERITED, UNRECIPROCATED AND UN APPRECIATED.
BUT THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT GOD HAS DONE THROUGH CHRIST ROM 5:6. IN DEMONSTRATING GOD’S LOVE IN THIS WAY TOWARDS OUR SPOUSES WE CAN RISE ABOVE OUR SET BACKS AND DIFFICULTIES TOGETHER AND BEGIN TO EXPERIENCE A LOVE THAT ENDURES A LIFETIME IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS.
C) A SACRIFICIAL LOVE. 1JHN 4:10b BUT THAT HE LOVED US AND GAVE US HIS SON AS AN ATONING SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS.
THE LOVE WE HAVE SPOKEN OF IN THE SCRIPTURES IS NOT SELF SEEKING, IT’S CALLED AGAPE A LOVE THAT FUNCTIONS THROUGH SELF SACRIFICE, IT’S NOT A FEELING, IT’S VOLITIONAL. IT’S A RESPONSE, IT ACTS, IT DEMONSTRATES LOVE TOWARDS ANOTHER AND FORGETS SELF. (LOVE OF THE WORLD IS ALL ABOUT ME). EPH 5: 25B “ CHRIST LOVED THE CHURCH AND GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR HER
WILLIAM GLADSTONE, IN ANNOUNCING THE DEATH OF PRINCESS ALICE TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, TOLD A TOUCHING STORY. THE LITTLE DAUGHTER OF THE PRINCESS WAS SERIOUSLY ILL WITH DIPHTHERIA. THE DOCTORS TOLD THE PRINCESS NOT TO KISS HER LITTLE DAUGHTER AND ENDANGER HER LIFE BY BREATHING THE CHILD’S BREATH. ONCE WHEN THE CHILD WAS STRUGGLING TO BREATHE, THE MOTHER, FORGETTING HERSELF ENTIRELY, TOOK THE LITTLE ONE INTO HER ARMS TO KEEP HER FROM CHOKING TO DEATH. RASPING AND STRUGGLING FOR HER LIFE, THE CHILD SAID, “MOMMA, KISS ME!” WITHOUT THINKING OF HERSELF THE MOTHER TENDERLY KISSED HER DAUGHTER. SHE GOT DIPHTHERIA AND SOME DAYS THEREAFTER SHE WENT TO BE FOREVER WITH THE LORD.
REAL LOVE FORGETS SELF. REAL LOVE KNOWS NO DANGER. REAL LOVE DOESN’T COUNT THE COST. REAL LOVE IS SACRIFICIAL.
BY ENTERING INTO GODS LOVE WE CAN DEVELOP A LOVE THAT ENDURES A LIFETIME IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS. WE CAN BEGIN TO LOVE AFRESH ONE ANOTHER... AS WE BEGIN TO RECIPROCATE GODS LOVE ONE FOR ANOTHER WHICH WE HAVE RECEIVED AND NOT WITHHOLD IT - AS GOD LOVES OUR SPOUSES AS MUCH AS HE LOVES US - WE ARE CALLED TO RECIPROCATE GODS LOVE TO ONE ANOTHER, AS HE LOVES US WHICH IS COMPLETELY SACRIFICIAL, FORGETTING SELF , AND CHERISHING THE OTHER PERSON TO THE POINT OF SACRIFICE.
D) AN ENDURING LOVE 1JHN 4:10
WE NEED TO POSES AN ENDURING LOVE: ENDURANCE: THE POWER TO WITHSTAND HARDSHIP OR STRESS, TO KEEP ON GOING DESPITE ALL SETBACKS.
I RECENTLY HEARD OF A LEICESTER WOMEN WHO AFTER HAVING FOUR CHILDREN STARTED RUNNING THEN ENTERED MARATHONS FOR LOROS. THIS YEAR SHE IS RUNNING THE LONDON MARATHON BUT BEFORE SHE RUNS IT SHE IS RUNNING FOUR OTHER MARATHONS EACH DAY BEFORE THE LONDON MARATHONS SO SHE WILL BE RUNNING 26 MILES EVERY DAY FOR 5 DAYS - THAT WILL TAKE GREAT ENDURANCE TO COMPLETE – BUT ON THE RADIO LEICESTER SHE SAID SHE IS COMMITTED TO ENDURING ALL THAT SHE WILL HAVE TO FACE AND COMPLETE THE MARATHONS SET BEFORE HER..... RADIO Leicester February 9th 2009
NOW CONSIDER ALL THAT JESUS ENDURED FOR YOU IN COMING TO THIS SINFUL WORLD .... THE HATRED BEFORE THE RELIGIOUS ELITE, THE CURSING AND MOCKERY FROM JEW AND GENTILE, HIS ABANDONMENT FROM HIS DISICPLES, THE BEATING AND FLOGGINGS BEFORE THE AUTHORITIES, HIS HUMILIATION IN BEING STRIPPED NAKED AND SENTENCED TO DEATH UPON A CROSS, FORCED TO CARRY HIS OWN CROSS TO CALVARY UPON HIS OPEN WOUNDED BACK, THEN NAILED TO IT HIS HANDS AND HIS FEET AND RAISED UP INTO THE GROUND, DRIVEN DOWN INTO THE SOCKET OF THE GROUND, THE HUMILIATION, THE SUFFERING AND THEN TO BE FORSAKEN BY GOD AS HE BORE OUR SINS IN HIS BODY AS DARKNESS FILLED THE ENTIRE WORLD AND YET OUR LORD ENDURED IT ALL FOR US!
AND HE CRIED OUT JHN 19:30 “IT IS FINISHED!” CRIES OF VICTORY! OF ACCOMPLISHMENT. WHAT HE HAD SET OUT TO DO, HE HAD ENDURED TO THE END AND HAD COMPLETED HIS TASK FOR US.
FRIENDS OUR MARRIAGE IS A DEMONSTRATION OF HIS ENDURING LOVE TOWARDS US : DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR MARRIAGES VOWS TO ONE ANOTHER, SO MANY FORGET THEM IN OUR DAY AND GENERATION. WE NEED TO BE REMINDED OF THEM AS MEN AND WOMEN WHAT WE ARE SAYING BEFORE GOD AND OTHERS, THAT WE ARE PREPARED TO ENDURE IN LOVE TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER TO THE END:
WE PROMISED TO COMFORT ONE ANOTHER IN OUR DISTRESS, TO HONOUR AND SUBMIT TO ONE ANOTHER IN OUR ACHIEVEMENTS , TO CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH, TO PROVIDE FOR ONE ANOTHER IN POVERTY OR RICHES, TO BE FAITHFUL TO ONE ANOTHER IN YOUTH AND OLD AGE, TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER TO DEATH DO YOU PART.
SO RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR MARRIAGE IT IS CALLING FOR AN ENDURING LOVE AND TO THIS END WE GIVE OUR WORD IN THE SIGHT OF GOD THAT WE WILL LOVE WITH ENDURANCE.
A COUPLE MARRIED FOR 15 YEARS BEGAN HAVING MORE THAN USUAL DISAGREEMENTS. THEY WANTED TO MAKE THEIR MARRIAGE WORK AND AGREED ON AN IDEA THE WIFE HAD. FOR ONE MONTH THEY PLANNED TO DROP A SLIP IN A “FAULT” BOX. THE BOXES WOULD PROVIDE A PLACE TO LET THE OTHER KNOW ABOUT DAILY IRRITATIONS. THE WIFE WAS DILIGENT IN HER EFFORTS AND APPROACH: “LEAVING THE JELLY TOP OFF THE JAR,” “WET TOWELS ON THE SHOWER FLOOR,” “DIRTY SOCKS NOT IN HAMPER,” ON AND ON UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH. AFTER DINNER, AT THE END OF THE MONTH, THEY EXCHANGED BOXES.
THE HUSBAND REFLECTED ON WHAT HE HAD DONE WRONG. THEN THE WIFE OPENED HER BOX AND BEGAN READING. THEY WERE ALL THE SAME, THE MESSAGE ON EACH SLIP WAS, “I LOVE YOU!”
DESPITE EACH OTHERS FAULTS WE NEED TO ENDURE WITH ONE ANOTHER AND TO TELL EACH OTHER “I LOVE YOU!” “I FORGIVE YOU” ISNT THAT WHAT OUR LORD DID? HE DEMONSTRATES HIS LOVE TOWARDS WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS. HE ENDURED ALL THE WAY TO THE CROSS TO SAY “I LOVE YOU!” DESPITE YOUR FAULTS AND THIS IS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU, I WILL LAID DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU!
HOW ARE WE TO RESPOND? FIRSTLY WE MUST RECEIVE HIS LOVE BY RESPONDING TO IT AND THEN MOVING ON TO RECIPROCATING THAT LOVE TO OUR SPOUSES ONE TO ANOTHER AND IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS. THIS MEANS SACRIFICE, IT MEANS FORGIVENESS, IT MEANS FORGETTING SELF AND LOVING THE OTHER IN SACRIFICIAL WAYS AND THIS IS SOMETHING WHICH HAS TO ENDURE FOR A LIFETIME. UNTIL EACH ONE OF US IS PRESENTED BEFORE HIM AS HIS RADIANT CHURCH WITHOUT BLEMISH OR WRINKLE, BUT HOLY AND SPOTLESS EPH5:27
CLOSING PRAYER
O GOD, OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE PRAY THAT EACH ONE GATHERED HERE TODAY WILL RECEIVE YOUR LOVE TOWARDS THEM THROUGH REPENTANCE AND FAITH. WE PRAY THAT YOU WILL PROTECT AND BLESS EACH ONE OF US IN OUR MARRIAGES AND OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH ONE ANOTHER. DEEPEN AND STRENGTHEN OUR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER DAY BY DAY. GRANT THAT BY YOUR MERCY THAT KIND WORDS WILL FLOW OUT OF OUR MARRIAGES FOR ONE ANOTHER AND WITH OTHERS.
FORGIVE AND CORRECT OUR FAULTS, AND MAY WE CONSTANTLY LEARN TO FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER, SHOULD WE UNCONSCIOUSLY HURT ONE ANOTHER. . MAKE US AND KEEP US SOUND AND WELL IN BODY, ALERT IN MIND, TENDER IN HEART, DEVOUT IN SPIRIT. O LORD, GRANT EACH ONE OF US IN OUR MARRIAGES AND RELATIONSHIPS TO RISE TO THE OTHER’S BEST.
WE PRAY YOU WILL ADD TO OUR COMMON LIFE SUCH VIRTUES AS ONLY YOU CAN GIVE. AND SO, O FATHER, CONSECRATE OUR LIVES AND OUR LOVE COMPLETELY TO YOUR WORSHIP, AND TO THE SERVICE OF ALL ABOUT US, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHOM YOU HAVE APPOINTED FOR EACH ONE OF US TO SERVE, MAY WE ALWAYS STAND BEFORE YOU IN HAPPINESS AND PEACE; THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN
