Living off of first love
It is said that newlyweds can’t live off love; somebody has to go out and make money. So the husband or even the wife as well, goes out into the workforce. But for so many folks, after a few years, the honeymoon is over, the first love wanes and disappears, the marriage crumbles into ruins. Often they divorce, even within two years. America has reached a point where over half of all marriages end in divorce. Where did we go wrong?
I believe the downward trek began at the very beginning of the path taken after the wedding. The couples accepted that first false assumption that “You can’t live off love.” This is a mistaken notion because it subconsciously kills the first love they had together. It says, “Forget about the relationship and keeping it alive. Get out there and get busy at work! Or if you were already making money, now you have to make more money!” But what is more important, loving or surviving? Loving! Surviving will happen, give love the predominance! If love is there, survival will result naturally. But the opposite is not true.
It’s true there are duties and responsibilities that go with keeping the flame of love alive and bringing sustenance into the home to feed, to clothe, to financially prepare for a future family, to keep a roof overhead, ect.; however, the method of getting those items is often destructive to the marriage. How so?
The modern place of employment works contrary to happiness in the home. The private sector does not exist to keep the family unit loving and happy. The business world exists upon the foundation of stiff competition, commercial conquest and takeovers, one company feverishly working to keep its piece of the economic pie, while undercutting another similar company and taking its share. The world of commerce, government, or military do not function from love.
Thus the spirit of competition and “dog eat dog” daily experienced makes its way into the work place and from there into the home life. The parents, unable to shed the influence of the backstabbing and suspicion and covetousness and outright undermining of marriage by co-workers, bring it home in their thoughts and attitudes and fears, and then release it all within the family that was theirs to protect from those very things. Relationship and love cannot exist in that kind of hostile environment. I know, I’ve been there.
The marriage and family unit were destroyed because the husband did not go to work simply to make ends meet, faithfully working at a humble employment and being loyal to conserve the company’s resources, seeing its upbuilding into a stronger force within the commercial world. In an effort to give his family the best as the world defines the “good life,” he sold himself into slavery. He gave himself to the taskmaster who cares nothing about love, and every crack of the whip beat the vitality of his love for his wife out of him a little more each day. A simpler home and lifestyle without the requirements of becoming a slave would have kept the father’s effort and strength focused on his wife and she on him, and the children on them both.
His thoughts would have remained on her, and her concerns would have been centered in him. Their honeymoon would have become a perpetual, happy life together, with their next two or three generations loving to crowd them and spend time and events together. Because love encircled the home, every visit by family could have been a special occasion; and the customary birthdays and anniversaries could have become large, important events.
The affect of that home would have been felt far and near. Neighbors, distant friends, relatives, businesses, government and police force, all would thank God for the preserving influence love had on their neighborhood, community, and beyond.
The principles of a loving family overlay identically those for a thriving church. Centuries ago, to the growing apostolic church the great husband-King said to His bride, “I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” (Rev. 2:4,5).
In the last days of the apostle John, the Christian church had lost its honeymoon, and that first love experience is still a lost institution to the bride of Christ. We should not wait for the whole of Christendom to renew its ties to Jesus. We must begin that return journey individually, meeting others on the same path, joining with them, and knowing the joy of fellowship and the inspiration to endure, through camaraderie as we travel along together.
Let us fill our thoughts with God’s thoughts made audible, that which flows from the written word of God. There we will find faith expressed in the living God, Christ’s direct appeal and counsel for His children, the record of successes of those before us who followed the Lord’s wise counsels and the failures by others who disobeyed Him.
If we live off of Jesus’ love, He will ensure our safe passage through this life. There will be duties and responsibilities to keep our relationship with Him alive—i.e. Christian service and witnessing, obedience to His will and heeding the words of prophet and apostle. But that work must not act at counter purposes with living off love with Jesus or we would see the same ill effect we saw with the hostile workplace on the family. With God, we must live off love. Let nothing wedge itself between the soul and its friendly Saviour—not even the “work of the Lord” or obedience to the eternal Law. In everything we do for God, let all our good works of obedience have one and only one motive—to build up a heavenly union with Him.
To obey just for the sake of obeying is not only not good enough, it is positively evil. It becomes the strength of sin. It is inspired by the author of “dog eat dog” and ambition and suspicion. Obedience, just to please the Law, leads God’s people to consume each other and it destroys the purpose of God in giving us His Law and counsels. In all our works of righteousness let us have one purpose—to restore and maintain a relationship with the Lord Jesus and to extend that relationship with everyone we meet. A relationship with God is the great promise of His covenant to His children. Once we have it, then we can obey all His commandments. The Law and good behavior and obedience to authority only ever work within the context of relationship. The obedience to a relationship and the voice of authority are the dual power of God unto salvation.
If we go through life living off divine love, even in an occupation that might serve this world’s kingdom, if we walk in communion with heaven so that even our constant “conversation is in heaven,” let us not be afraid of tripping at our earthly related affairs. We are promised, “He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.” (Ps. 91:11,12).
Let us take comfort that the Lord wants to fill all our thoughts, and give us an awareness and obervation and clear mind that we could never have without Him close by. “Blessed is the man,” whose “delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night.”
“The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.” “Lord, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in Thy holy hill? He that...speaketh the truth in his heart.”
“I have set the Lord always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.... At Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Ps. 10:4;1:1,2;15:1,2;16:8-11). God wants all our thoughts, our all meditation, all our communion and fellowship. “A soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies is impregnable to the assaults of Satan.” Desire of Ages, p. 324.
The Lord gave the warning and the promise, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (Jn. 16:33). This statement only makes sense in the context of this unobstructed communion and union with Jesus through His word.
Psalm 91
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.
Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known My name.
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him My salvation.
I believe the downward trek began at the very beginning of the path taken after the wedding. The couples accepted that first false assumption that “You can’t live off love.” This is a mistaken notion because it subconsciously kills the first love they had together. It says, “Forget about the relationship and keeping it alive. Get out there and get busy at work! Or if you were already making money, now you have to make more money!” But what is more important, loving or surviving? Loving! Surviving will happen, give love the predominance! If love is there, survival will result naturally. But the opposite is not true.
It’s true there are duties and responsibilities that go with keeping the flame of love alive and bringing sustenance into the home to feed, to clothe, to financially prepare for a future family, to keep a roof overhead, ect.; however, the method of getting those items is often destructive to the marriage. How so?
The modern place of employment works contrary to happiness in the home. The private sector does not exist to keep the family unit loving and happy. The business world exists upon the foundation of stiff competition, commercial conquest and takeovers, one company feverishly working to keep its piece of the economic pie, while undercutting another similar company and taking its share. The world of commerce, government, or military do not function from love.
Thus the spirit of competition and “dog eat dog” daily experienced makes its way into the work place and from there into the home life. The parents, unable to shed the influence of the backstabbing and suspicion and covetousness and outright undermining of marriage by co-workers, bring it home in their thoughts and attitudes and fears, and then release it all within the family that was theirs to protect from those very things. Relationship and love cannot exist in that kind of hostile environment. I know, I’ve been there.
The marriage and family unit were destroyed because the husband did not go to work simply to make ends meet, faithfully working at a humble employment and being loyal to conserve the company’s resources, seeing its upbuilding into a stronger force within the commercial world. In an effort to give his family the best as the world defines the “good life,” he sold himself into slavery. He gave himself to the taskmaster who cares nothing about love, and every crack of the whip beat the vitality of his love for his wife out of him a little more each day. A simpler home and lifestyle without the requirements of becoming a slave would have kept the father’s effort and strength focused on his wife and she on him, and the children on them both.
His thoughts would have remained on her, and her concerns would have been centered in him. Their honeymoon would have become a perpetual, happy life together, with their next two or three generations loving to crowd them and spend time and events together. Because love encircled the home, every visit by family could have been a special occasion; and the customary birthdays and anniversaries could have become large, important events.
The affect of that home would have been felt far and near. Neighbors, distant friends, relatives, businesses, government and police force, all would thank God for the preserving influence love had on their neighborhood, community, and beyond.
The principles of a loving family overlay identically those for a thriving church. Centuries ago, to the growing apostolic church the great husband-King said to His bride, “I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” (Rev. 2:4,5).
In the last days of the apostle John, the Christian church had lost its honeymoon, and that first love experience is still a lost institution to the bride of Christ. We should not wait for the whole of Christendom to renew its ties to Jesus. We must begin that return journey individually, meeting others on the same path, joining with them, and knowing the joy of fellowship and the inspiration to endure, through camaraderie as we travel along together.
Let us fill our thoughts with God’s thoughts made audible, that which flows from the written word of God. There we will find faith expressed in the living God, Christ’s direct appeal and counsel for His children, the record of successes of those before us who followed the Lord’s wise counsels and the failures by others who disobeyed Him.
If we live off of Jesus’ love, He will ensure our safe passage through this life. There will be duties and responsibilities to keep our relationship with Him alive—i.e. Christian service and witnessing, obedience to His will and heeding the words of prophet and apostle. But that work must not act at counter purposes with living off love with Jesus or we would see the same ill effect we saw with the hostile workplace on the family. With God, we must live off love. Let nothing wedge itself between the soul and its friendly Saviour—not even the “work of the Lord” or obedience to the eternal Law. In everything we do for God, let all our good works of obedience have one and only one motive—to build up a heavenly union with Him.
To obey just for the sake of obeying is not only not good enough, it is positively evil. It becomes the strength of sin. It is inspired by the author of “dog eat dog” and ambition and suspicion. Obedience, just to please the Law, leads God’s people to consume each other and it destroys the purpose of God in giving us His Law and counsels. In all our works of righteousness let us have one purpose—to restore and maintain a relationship with the Lord Jesus and to extend that relationship with everyone we meet. A relationship with God is the great promise of His covenant to His children. Once we have it, then we can obey all His commandments. The Law and good behavior and obedience to authority only ever work within the context of relationship. The obedience to a relationship and the voice of authority are the dual power of God unto salvation.
If we go through life living off divine love, even in an occupation that might serve this world’s kingdom, if we walk in communion with heaven so that even our constant “conversation is in heaven,” let us not be afraid of tripping at our earthly related affairs. We are promised, “He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.” (Ps. 91:11,12).
Let us take comfort that the Lord wants to fill all our thoughts, and give us an awareness and obervation and clear mind that we could never have without Him close by. “Blessed is the man,” whose “delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night.”
“The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.” “Lord, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in Thy holy hill? He that...speaketh the truth in his heart.”
“I have set the Lord always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.... At Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Ps. 10:4;1:1,2;15:1,2;16:8-11). God wants all our thoughts, our all meditation, all our communion and fellowship. “A soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies is impregnable to the assaults of Satan.” Desire of Ages, p. 324.
The Lord gave the warning and the promise, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (Jn. 16:33). This statement only makes sense in the context of this unobstructed communion and union with Jesus through His word.
Psalm 91
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.
Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known My name.
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him My salvation.
posted by David | 6:46 PM
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