"Love Fulfills Dreams," Part 1

Our next message is a fun one. Yet at the same time, it can be personally challenging. More on that later. Love Dare starts with this question: “What is something that your spouse would really, really love?” How long has it been since you even considered this?

Common sense tells us that we can’t give our partner everything they want. Financial limitations, time constraints, perhaps children, and many other factors restrict this. Yet sometimes we are too quick or automatic to say no. Maybe we have become too practical and rational. Or maybe we have become lazy and non-intentional about our marriage (see “Love is thoughtful”, 8/14/2020). Instead of dismissing your spouse’s dreams, what if you awakened your love to fulfill them? What would it look like if the one thing they thought you would never be able to do actually happened?

Sometimes love needs to be extravagant - to set aside challenges and be generous, or to go all out and bless someone out of sheer delight. Is that thinking too much like a teenager? Is that kind of love no longer part of your marriage after all these years?

The above questions caused me to pause and reflect. Early on, I would have given my wife the moon if it were possible But like many young couples, time and money limited my options. Now, after 44 years of marriage, I no longer have that excuse. I appreciate that relationships change and “go through seasons” - and I still love my wife dearly - but am I really doing all I can to show her that?

Some may see little reason for love to be extravagant. Love Dare, however, showcases God’s endless love as justification for loving abundantly where we can. We were living under the burden of sin and regret. We never deserved God’s love nor can we ever earn it. But He didn’t wait for us to be perfect, He loved us anyway and sacrificed His Son for our sins (Romans 5:8). When we accept Jesus into our lives, we are forgiven. “But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive in Christ even when we were dead in our transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4-5).

God freely pours out His love without measure. He lavishes grace and mercy upon us (Ephesians 1:8), and Jesus came so that we may have life abundantly (John 10:10). As Christians, we are called to model this same kind of love – to give more than asked, to go the extra mile, and to exceed what is expected (Matthew 5:39-48). 2 Corinthians 9:7 tells us that God loves a cheerful giver – those who are willing to give abundantly out of pure delight.

Next week, we will shift to practical advice on how love can fulfill dreams. Until then, I encourage you with the following. First, reflect on God’s boundless love for you and how it meets the needs of your heart. Second, having been called to imitate His love, consider what dreams your spouse might have and then adopt a new level of love that seeks to fulfill them.