Daily Devotional
God Wants More for Our Marriages
“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
1 John 4:10-11
February 22, 2024
Ponder This
When you were dating, you likely had a list of desires in another person. You thought, “I want somebody good-looking or beautiful. I want somebody who thinks I’m funny. I want somebody with a good personality. I want somebody with certain physical attributes and perhaps certain intellectual gifts; somebody who can make me feel good.” And the time comes when you finally say to that young lady or that young man, “I love you.” That may be true, but some people say this to mean, “I want you because you meet a particular need in my life.” That kind of love is not the love God is talking about that binds husbands and wives together. As a matter of fact, that kind of love is very conditional. And if those are the reasons you got married—because of somebody’s charm or beauty—then your marriage is in danger. Now I’m not saying charm, wit, and beauty are not important, but those things fade.
Can you see how dangerous that kind of conditional love is to a marriage? It is rooted in self. God calls us to more.
- What is the difference between unconditional love and conditional love?
- What are some ways we tend to love people conditionally?
Practice This
Thank someone who has shown you unconditional love.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
