What's Love Got to Do with It

Those of us that are married know that sometimes we just do things because we love someone. I'd imagine this is the same with your children. It's not a duty or a begrudging thing, it's that you love them so much, you want them to be happy... so you do this thing/chore/hobby etc that makes them smile in that way that pays you back ten times over.

The list of things I do for Blake 'just because I love him' feels pretty short, he's a pretty easy going guy with only a few hobbies and quirks that we don't both enjoy independently. The longer we're married the more we just enjoy the same things and I forget that I used to do it just because I love him. I don't know for sure how long Blake's list is of things he does 'just because he loves me' (Although I'm pretty sure that watching British period piece films and miniseries falls into that category). What I do know is how loved I feel because of it. There's nothing like the quiet reassurance that he knows me inside out and loves me in spite of it.

It makes me think about the things that I do (or don't do, rather) out of love for others. It makes me think about how I generally only do those things that make me feel comfortable, happy or entertained etc. Even when it comes to doing the things that God asks us to do... do I do them out of duty, or just because I love Him.

God doesn't really ask all that much of us. Jesus said, "If you love me, obey my commandments" (John 14:15) and John said, "Now by this we know that we love Him, if we keep His commandments" (1 John 2:3 NKJV). He commands us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. I've said this before, but I'll say it again. If I did those two things more fully... boy the rest would be easier.

I should do these things because it's been commanded to me, but shouldn't I also do them purely out of love and gratefulness to my Father? Because He delights in me and I delight in Him? How selfish I am.

It's the little things like getting out of bed in the morning, praying for people, stopping to give a compliment or a listening ear. Sometimes I do them (sometimes I do not), sometimes out of duty, and on some (better) days, I do them purely because I feel so loved by my Savior and the life He has given me, that I want to share it.

1 John 4:19 (NLT),  says it well: "We love each other because He loved us first."

I know that I have days where just holding back my tongue is loving my neighbor - I am, after all, a work in progress. But there are also days where I feel abundantly loved by a gracious and compassionate God and let's hope I listen and follow, just because I love Him.