Stoke the Fire

Yesterday was Valentine’s Day, a time for those in love to express their devotion to their sweetheart. Susan and I have been married now for 30 years. We had a heart connection over 31 years ago when we started dating. And then the romantic feelings came upon us.

The truth is, at one time we were complete strangers with no feeling for each other. Then we met and began to talk for hours at a time. A little later we started dating and then it happened! The feeling of romance hit us both. Now, 30 years later, it’s still there.

Feelings of romance take effort to sustain. They don’t just appear on their own. You have to help them along! If there is a mutual attraction between a man and a woman, doing things together can create feelings for each other. To sustain the feelings of romance you must keep doing what you did at the beginning of the relationship.

Jesus scolded the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2 for leaving their first love. He then told them what to do to return to first love status. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works…(Rev. 2:5).

Relationships are not in and of themselves self-sustaining. It takes effort to keep them going. It takes effort daily over the years of time in a marriage to keep the flames of romance burning brightly. If you have feelings of romance after many years it is not accidental. Couples in love regularly do things to keep the flame hot! What do they do? They keep doing the things that started the flame of romance in the first place. Intimate communication combined with doing things together regularly will ensure that when you are old enough to be great-grandparents, you’ll still possess the flame!

Marriage is a type of our relationship with God. Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church. We are to have a heart devotion to the Lord and share our hearts with Him the way a husband and wife intimately share together.

And if we are going to maintain our first love with the Lord, we must continue to do the things that began our journey of closeness with Him. Spending time with Him in the Word and in prayer daily; fellowship with other believers to keep ourselves sharp; and regular involvement in a local church are some of the things that will keep that first love romance with the Lord going strong.

Romance with the Lord and with your mate is a heart thing, and like a fire in the fireplace, fresh wood and a bit of stirring will ensure that the glowing ember remains a raging fire.