Service...

When looking at love relationships, it is easy to find a ton of different ways to look at it.  There's the physical attraction and physical relationship aspect, the emotional, spiritual, friendship, devotion, trust, etc.  I could go on and on. 

As I look at 1 Corinthians 13, and also couple that with Christ's time ministering on earth, and throw in a little Ephesians 5:25-28, I come to see that the key to making it work is service.  I want to give credit here to a very wise man, Dennis Richardson, who preaches this concept as it relates to love relationships.  And I believe with my whole heart that he is correct. 

We should be striving to out-serve our mates.  Putting ourselves to the side, and putting into the relationship everything we can.  Heck, jobs change, financial situations change, kids leave, etc---but that person we are committed to spending our lives with shouldn't.  Many of us have already failed in this area, and I hope we all have learned from the Word how God wants us to see this.

Think of the time Christ was on earth.  Ephesians 5:25 speaks of husbands loving wives as Christ did the church, GIVING HIMSELF UP FOR HER.  That is sacrifice and service right there.  It would have been easy to be a show off with the power he had.  To flaunt it---you and I both know that's what half the world today would do---go make a bazillion dollars off the thing that makes them different!  But he didn't.  He followed God's plan, and gave himself up.  For others.  For us.

So think about your relationships now.  Do you outserve your mate?  Do you even think about that?  Are you more into yourself and your own life?  I can speak from experience, that if the eyes aren't on God first and then your mate, expect failure.  Someone will step out, or pull away.  It happens everyday.  Trust me.

It is up to us to decide if we want God's best, or just settle for whatever happens when we take it into our own hands.

I choose to trust God with that, and choose the blessings of a fruitful relationship in Him---whomever that may be with!