Give Up Grabbing ~ Give In to God

It is not uncommon in friendships or a marriage relationship to feel slighted when it comes to giving and receiving. Jacob surely felt this way when he worked seven years for his future father-in-law for the privilege of marrying Rachel, his daughter. But the conniving, prospective father-in-law manipulated Jacob into working another seven years by hoodwinking him into first marrying Leah, his older daughter. 

          Jacob was a slick conniver who would take whatever he wanted by hook or crook without worrying that his schemes would turn against him. When he agreed to work seven years for Rachel, perhaps he believed his dreams were coming true. 

 

          Seven years is a long time to work for the woman he loved, but in doing so, it seemed he had control of the situation. Yet if he were to become God's man, a man reflecting God's grace and mercy, he would have to lose the arrogant attitude that dominated his life. God patiently and deliberately redeems those he chooses to carry out his purpose. 

Poor Choices Produce Painful Consequences - Part 3

On the first day of my math class as a college freshman, the professor gave us his definition of love. He knew that's why we had come to college and enrolled in his class. Needless to say, he captured our attention because he was both funny and serious by saying, "Love is an outward expression of an inward all-over." Not what we were expecting to hear from an academic.

Human beings need to receive and give love. As a ninth grader, I had serious trouble in school. I made good grades but was too spontaneous in expressing humor, to the point of being threatened with expulsion. My mother’s response was to lay on the guilt. "After all the work and sacrifices I've made, how could you choose to act this way?"

My mother loved me enough to “lay on the guilt.” Love is about pouring yourself out for another person. Titus 3 explains that God generously poured out his love and kindness on us through Jesus Christ, not because we deserved it, but because he wanted to save us and give us purpose for living. Think about that. 

Choosing Persons or Power: It's Up to You - Part 3

Most young adults begin thinking about finding a partner of the opposite sex by creating a mental image of what this lifelong mate will be like. Maturity enables a more realistic ideal to emerge that permits love and friendship to thrive and endure. Immaturity sets the stage for continuous power struggles that strive to achieve what is impossible.

God conferred on humankind the potential for giving and receiving love. Yet this wonderful gift can be perverted by power struggles, which result in a "no win" situation. Striving for dominance and control is a barrier to giving and receiving love freely. God does not strive with us to insure that we give our love and loyalty to him.

Eliminating power struggles in the search for intimacy is a personal choice. Power struggles create vicious cycles, but by giving each other freedom to be him- or herself and by living within mutually set boundaries, an atmosphere is created whereby godly expectations can be met, allowing love to survive and grow strong.