A Few Thoughts On Love

A few thoughts on love:
As recorded in John’s gospel, Chapter 13, when Jesus was in the upper room saying goodbye to His confused disciples, He girded Himself with a towel, took a pan of water and proceeded to wash their feet. In verse 12 Jesus asks them, “Do you know what I have done to you?” I’m sure they looked at one another, puzzled and embarrassed by allowing their Master to perform such a menial task reserved for the lowliest of servants.

“You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.” He goes on to say, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” Later on, in verse 34, Jesus says to them, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

In a few days, April 19th rolls around again, the seventh anniversary of my wife’s death. Betty and I had a good marriage. We loved each other, perhaps more than most couples. Our disagreements, though frequent I suppose, never separated us. Our three boys were never without a mom and dad around the dinner table. Betty and I never had a knock-down-drag-out fight, and the boys never heard demeaning words between their mom and dad. I’m grateful for that. Still, as I said to a young couple at church just this week, I regret not telling my Betty often enough just how beautiful she was to me and how much I needed and appreciated her in so many little and large ways, and brought her flowers or gifts for really no reason. I know now that would have meant so much to her and probably would have enhanced our nearly fifty-year romance even more than we realized.

The words to an old song come to mind. I offer them to my young friends, and to older friends as well:

“Hello, young lovers, whoever you are. I hope your troubles are few. All my good wishes go with you tonight, I’ve been in love like you. Be brave young lovers and follow your star; be brave and faithful and true. Cling very close to each other tonight, I’ve been in love like you.”

I really believe what my pastor said a few weeks ago, that the strength of our nation depends upon our reliance on God. The strength of our churches depends on the stability of our families. And the strength of our families is directly dependant on the personal Christ-centered relationship of mom and dad. That they love one another…I mean really!

Jesus knew very well what He faced in the following hours after His sharing in the upper room. As Paul said in Hebrews 12:2: “For the joy that was set before Him, Jesus endured the cross…” Amazing! I am convinced again for the first time that when couples old and young are brave and faithful and true, and can set aside their self conscious embarrassment and cling to each other in love, it warms our Lord’s heart of hearts. Is it worship? Oh yes. I truly believe it is.