Love Purely

A couple of weeks ago, I interviewed a 27 year old woman . She is homeless and staying at the Salvation Army.   I won't print her story here but wanted you to meet her.  This is Nicole. 

Later I intervied a 32 year old man.  He is homeless and staying at the Salvation Army. I won't print his story either at this time. This is Mike.

Nicole and Mike became homeless and entered the Salvation Army alone.  They met there and now are a couple wanting to get married next year.

Love story from the Salvation Army. . .

Childhood abuse, poverty, bad relationships, no real godly training growing up, and then teen-age rebellion on top of that with poor health added in and some poor choices has led these two to homelessness.  I think there has been a lot of hurts and without a relationship with the Lord, did not know how to handle difficult situations.

Between the two of them, there has been 4 relationships, three marriages, three divorces, and four children.  They do not have custody of any of the children. 

These two seem very sweet and I think they were lonely and feeling desperate and depressed, found each other, understanding how the other was feeling.  They hold on to each other.  My prayer is that they will learn to lean onto the Lord, asking Him into their hearts soon and bring Him into this relationship, so the cycle of broken relationships can stop here. 

This past week, I met an older couple at the hospital when I was doing the hospital ministry.  I wish I had their picture, but it's kinda frowned upon to bring the camera in and take pictures of patients!  The husband happily told me that he and his bride had been married for 69 years.  He teared up as he told me about his special lady.  He still sounded so in love with her.  I asked him what was the secret to such a long marriage.  He immediately answered,  "Love purely." 

That phrase has been rolling around in my head ever since.  I guess you could say I've been pondering.  This week my husband and I have celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary.  I love him with all my heart and I know he loves me the same.  But we are certainly not perfect and I'm sure this older couple is not either.  I'm sure they have had their arguments, the little irritations that come with living with someone day after day.  So how do you love someone so purely?

It has to come from the Father above.  He is the only One who has pure love.  And when we invite Him into our hearts and our lives, His pure love rains down on us.  When we invite Him into our marriage and live by His ways, we are blessed with pure love.  We may mess up, we may argue, selfishness may creep in, but when our foundation is built on the solid rock of Jesus Christ, forgiveness is always available, grace and mercy are showered upon us, cleanses us, renews us, then we can offer these same gifts to our spouse.

Pure love.

Loving Purely.

So simple.

And yet, without Him, so hard.

My heart goes out to Nicole, Mike, and their children. I pray for them.  They need guidance in so many ways.  If they would just open up their heart to the pure love of the Lord, I know they can make it.  I pray for those 4 children involved and that the cycle will be broken soon or they may just end up in this same situation some day. . .or worse.

 "...dearly loved ones, clothes yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

Colossians 3:12-14

"The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

1 Timothy 1:5

Love purely.

Do you know couples who are not loving purely?

Let's pray for them.

Let's get on our knees for them and enter the battlefield with the armor God gives us and help fight this battle in prayer before our Heavenly Father.

Do you have children in your life who will be entering into a relationship some day?

Let's pray for them and their future spouse.

Let's claim victory over broken relationships.

Let's pray God's blessings over new relationships that will be sprouting up some day.

I want there to be more couples saying, "We've been married for 69 years" and tearing up sweetly over their love.

Love purely.

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