When my husband and I were first dating, I was enraptured with him. I spent every possible minute I could with him and just relished being near him, holding his hand, and cuddling next to him. I got butterflies in my stomach every time he flashed that cute little grin my way.
I showed love to him with poetry, love notes left on his windshield, and dressing up cute.
Now, almost four years into our marriage, some of that has slightly changed.
I am still enraptured with him. I love him deeply and tell him that everyday (he usually tells me about ten times a day) and kiss him goodnight every night.
But I’ve found that now I show love to him in different ways. Although I occasionally write poetry and leave love notes for him, the more constant way I show love is to keep the house clean and try to have a decent dinner on the table. It may not be as glamorous as our dating days, but it’s still love.
My relationship with God is a lot like that.
When I first became intentional about my faith, I loved spending time with God. I ate up His Word and loved spending time in prayer. Worship music filled me up as I sang love songs to my Savior. It was like the courtship stage.
Now, I’m a little more settled in my faith and things have changed. I’m not always looking for that intense, dramatic, spiritual experience. Like so many moments in my marriage, I’m content chilling on the couch next to God while we watch a movie together. I know He’s with me, and sometimes that’s enough.
Now, I do tend to err on the side of lazy. Just like I could make more of an effort to still look cute for my husband (I know he’s grown tired of the yoga pants he always comes home to) I could make more of an effort to spend time with God and focus on Him. Just because I’m not a rookie Christian anymore doesn’t mean I can slack off.
Like marriage goes through stages, I believe faith does as well. Those flowery worship songs that once spoke to me are not necessarily going to speak to me in my new walk of faith.
It’s time to find new ways to love on my God.
Interesting to note. I think you answered your last post’s question/thought with this post. Give self to God=finding new ways to love (on Him, your husband and others) 😀
I guess I kinda did. Thanks for pointing that out!
I think you’re really right about this, our relationships change. I think whether it’s our husbands, our kids or our God, it comes down to effort. Also, just like a marriage needs spicing up from time to time, so too does our relationship with God. We need a getaway with our Lord every once in a while. We need to add some spark back into things and renew our commitment.
“We need to add some spark back into things…” I like this. It’s so easy to get into a faith rut.
Hosea 2:21 declares in the name of the Lord, “I will betroth you to me forever.” Betrothal is engagement prior to marriage, not marriage itself. Yet scripture refers to the betrothal as forever, because the message of the everlasting betrothal is exactly what you are saying.
Thanks for the beautiful Scriptures you always share!
🙂
This is a pretty stellar side by side, so real and honest when we allow ourselves to admit it. I need to find new ways to love on both. Thanks for this.
You’re welcome! I agree… I need to constantly seek ways to love on my God AND my husband.