LOVE DARE # 39 and #40

LOVE DARE # 39 (THURSDAY)

Love endures

Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:8

Of all the things love dares to do this is the ultimate. Though threatened, it keeps pursuing. Though challenged, it keeps moving forward. Though mistreated and rejected, it refuses to give up. Love never fails.

Many times when a marriage is in crisis, the spouse who is trying to make things work will go to the other, declaring in no uncertain terms that no matter what has happened in the past, he or she is committed to this marriage. But not wanting to hear this yet, the other spouse holds their position. They still want out. They don’t see this marriage lasting long term. Nor do they even want it to anymore.

The partner who has just laid his or her heart on the line, extending the olive branch, can’t handle the rejection. So they withdraw their statement. “Fine, if that’s the way you want it, that’s the way it will be.”

But if love is really love, it doesn’t waffle when it’s not received the way you want it to be. If love can be told to quit loving, then it’s not really love. Love that is from God is unending, unstoppable. If the object of its affection doesn’t choose to receive it, love keeps giving anyway. Love never fails. Never.

TODAY’S DARE: Spend time in personal prayer, then write a letter of commitment and resolve to your spouse. Include why you are committing to this marriage until death, and that you have purposed to love them no matter what. Leave it in a place that your mate will find it.



LOVE DARE # 40 (FRIDAY)

Love is a covenant.

Where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.

Congratulations! You have reached the end of the Love Dare – the book. But the experience and challenge of loving your mate is something that never comes to an end. It goes on for the rest of your life.

This book may end at Day 40. But who says your dare has to stop? And as you view your marriage relationship from this point on, we challenge to you consider it a covenant instead of a contract. These two words sound similar in meaning and intent but in reality are much different. Seeing marriage as a contract is like saying to your spouse, “I take you for me and we’ll see if this works out”. But realizing it as a covenant changes it to say, “I give myself to you and commit to this marriage for life.”

A contract is self-serving and comes with limited liability. A covenant is for the benefit of others and comes with unlimited responsibility. A contract can be broken with mutual consent. A covenant is intended top be unbreakable.

A covenant is a verbal commitment based on trust, assuring someone that your promise is unconditional and good for life. It is spoke before God out of love for one another.

Marriage is the strongest covenant on earth between two people, the pledge of a man and a woman to establish a love that is unconditional and lasts a lifetime.

TODAY’S DARE: Write our a renewal of your vows and place them in your home. Perhaps if appropriate, you could make arrangements to formally renew your wedding vows before a minister and with family present. Make it a living testament to the value of marriage in God’s eyes and the high honor of being one with your mate.