Robert Anderson, BCM/D President and Pastor of Colonial Baptist Church
By Robert Anderson, BCM/D President and Pastor of Colonial Baptist Church, Randallstown, Md.
February is a month known for love. Thanks to Valentine’s Day, we are forced to remember the one we love in very tangible ways, and whether it is through a card, flowers, chocolate, jewelry or a night out on the town, these expressions of love are treasured and appreciated. However, as I reflect on this, the question that comes to my mind is, how can we communicate love for our spouse in a stronger way? Perhaps, on a lighter note, the late Milton Berle illustrates love, “Love is when a man takes out the garbage and his wife goes with him!” Being together and doing things together, no doubt, helps to foster stronger love. Nevertheless, the Bible lays out a beautiful picture of love in Song of Solomon,
“Set me as a seal on your heart,
as a seal on your arm.
For love is as strong as death;
ardent love is as unrelenting as Sheol.
Love’s flames are fiery flames– the fiercest of all.
Mighty waters cannot extinguish love;
rivers cannot sweep it away.
If a man were to give all his wealth for love,
it would be utterly scorned.” (8:6,7 HCSB)
This glorious passage is the equivalent of 1 Cor. 13:1-8, and it points out four aspects of love: First, love is relentless in marriage, as death is to life (we can’t quit loving!); Secondly, love is intense as fire (we can’t quit fanning the flames); Thirdly, love is unstoppable, even in the worst of times (remember, “love never fails” 1 Cor. 13:8); and lastly, love is so invaluable that it can not be bought, it must be freely given away. To this point, an unknown author said, “Love is the only service that power cannot command and money cannot buy.”
As we think about loving others, and our spouses in particular, let’s remember to ‘love strong’ and grab every opportunity to let God’s love flow through us making our marriages, churches and communities a much better place.