Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. -1 Peter 4:8
This verse in 1 Peter has been extremely vital in my relationship with my Husband and for our marriage. On the outside, it seems simple – “love each other deeply”, but put into practice is not always the easiest.
What does it look to love each other deeply?
I think it looks like Christ. I think it signifies an unconditional, sacrificial love. Wow, that is something to aspire to in marriage.
I think this really correlates from grace in that if you unconditionally love your spouse, it will be easier to extend grace because you are not basing your love on “works.” In Romans, it says concerning Israel, that “All day long I hold out my hand to a disobedient and contrary people.”(Romans 10:21) This verse has always blown my mind. All day long God holds out His hand to us and we constantly disobey Him, spit in His face.
Would we love our husbands if they did this to us?
Honestly, probably not; I’m not sure my heart is that big – I wish it was. I want to strive to have a love like that, but I don’t know if we can fully understand that type of love. But, I want it. I want to love my husband like that. I want to extend grace and mercy to him that has so freely been given to me. I want to love and respect him.
I was watching The Notebook the other day, a love story about an elderly woman suffering from dementia and doesn’t remember her husband. As I watched, I was really thinking about this verse above and the idea of unconditional love. If your spouse, didn’t remember you, didn’t know your name, yelled at you…would you love them? I think that would be incredibly hard, to fully love someone when they don’t know your name. But that’s what I want to strive for…a love that doesn’t have conditions, a love like Christ.
What a goal to strive for, unconditional love!
