|
|
|
|
2) Inner Fulfillment
|
 |
| The two choices |
| The choice of fulfillment |
| Problems of fulfillment |
| Sources of fulfillment |
| Questions of Fulfillment |
|
Overcoming lusts
|
SOURCES OF FULFILLMENT
|
| Our ability to love comes from being loved and accepted. There is a great deep security that is brought about when we are perpetually and unconditionally loved. This unconditional acceptance leads to openness and corrections in our lives. Fears and doubts can be put aside. As we do this, we are amazed even further on His great love for us. We do not need to impress God to gain His favor. Trust is built up. We want to experientially know God more. This seeking of God then brings us to know God and His love more. |
 |
The Pattern
This is the pattern of Christ's love and His people. God loved me when I did not love Him. He sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross to take away my sins that I might be close to Him. God's love has been shown. There is the real love of God that floods our souls even when loved by no one else. His love fills and radiates our soul. His love already satisfies my deepest longings.We are able to understand and teach it because this is what happens in a growing marriage.
"Husbands, love your wives,
just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her;
that He might sanctify her,
having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory,
having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing;
but that she should be holy and blameless.”
Ephesians 5:25-27, NASB
|
|
The Whole Design
The husband's love is to model itself after the Lord's love; the wife's response is to be modeled after the church's pure response to the Lord. God's love kept on track in spite of the stubborn response of His people. God sent His only Son, Christ Jesus, to earth to win a people for Himself so that God could pour forth His love upon them. Ephesians 1 records this plan of love. We just mention one sentence.
"In Him we have redemption through His blood,
the forgiveness of our trespasses,
according to the riches of His grace ..."
(Ephesians 1:7, NASB).
Christ died as part of God's great love plan. In this plan, God is still looking for His people, the church, to respond to His love. If we as His people would trust God, we would be unbelievably blessed. God is just waiting for us to respond in obedience, and His powerful love will move into our lives empowering us to live as Christ did. We should note God's love was not inspired by our goodness or what we could do for Him. Not at all. That would be a conditional love. When people depend upon their good works to be accepted by God, then they are 'working' for acceptance. They do not understand God's love. The opposite is true. God was moved by what good could happen to us if His love flowed in us weak creatures! These people work good works in response to God's great love for them.
Some might have never thought marriage could reach such a` state but this is the path that marriage provides. Notice it is a growing relationship even when a relationship has grown and matured. When we are filled, we are no longer empty. When we love, we no longer lust.
In the security of His love, we can indeed grow. We understand that many of us have hardened our hearts to God. This is the time to soften our hearts to God so that we can understand more of His love.
|
|
|
|
|
