Godly Love is Sacrificial Love
Robert officiated at a niece’s wedding this weekend. The couple glowed with love and hope for tomorrow, and I believe they’ll have a good and fruitful life together.
However, after 43 years of marriage, I’m well aware that the commitment to love someone takes much more effort than I realized when I said, “I do.” When I made the vow, I didn’t realize how self-centered and selfish I was. Neither did I realize how much love requires sacrifice—and isn’t just about feeling good.
I believe a lot of tension, anger, and divorce would never happen if we understood godly love.
I ran across a verse this week that gives me hope that I can get better at expressing love—for everybody, not just my husband.
Ephesians 5:1-2 says, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children’ and walk in love just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”
Let’s break the verse up and look a little closer.
**Be imitators of God, as beloved children **
People tend to imitate sports stars, entertainers, or popular peers. We imitate in clothing, manners, morals, and lifestyle. The Lord, however, calls us to seek to be like Him—just as loved children imitate their parents.
Years ago, our 2-year-old son joined his father in harvesting freshly dug potatoes. I can still picture him picking up clods of dirt, carrying them to the end of the row, and carefully laying them on the potato pile, working hard to keep up with his father.
Our heavenly Father wants me to imitate Him in the same way, joyfully serving from a heart full of love, with eyes trained on Him, gaining clues for my next move.
**Walk in love just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God **
Jesus’ love was complete. He gave His all, holding nothing back. Jesus chose to leave a perfect environment to live among sinful men and die on a cross for our redemption. He gave His life for ungrateful, undeserving sinners.
It is sometime difficult to lay down my life for ungrateful people. However, I find hope in Jesus’ example. He “gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God.” Motivation and grace to love others sacrificially will be greater if I make the sacrifice as to God—for the One who loves me so much—as opposed to sacrificing myself for someone who doesn’t care or who rejects my love.
When we love others out of our love for God, we will receive grace to love when it is difficult.
As a fragrant aroma
When I imitate God through sacrificial love, it pleases Him. Indeed, it is a fragrant aroma to my God! Sacrificial love tears down walls that separate, builds enduring relationships, draws me closer to God, and is pleasing to Him.
The term “sacrificial” brings to mind loss and hardship, because we lay down our preferences and comforts for another. However, sacrificial love yields lasting benefits in heaven and on earth. The yield outweighs the loss. When done as an offering and a sacrifice to God, it is the surest way to godly relationships.
Have you found that love often requires more sacrifice than you had realized? Do you feel the Lord’s approval when your love is sacrificial?
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