Introduction
Man
is made of three parts –spirit soul and body. The most important part is his
spirit, the most obvious part is his body and the most neglected part in love
is his soul.
Physical Love
Much
of our love is simply physical. Your body needs physical food. Where there is
true love physical food is included. I love you will not work when you are
hungry. A man who loves his family will provide for them (I Timothy 5:8).
Other
necessary physical provision according to the Lord include food and cloth. The atmosphere will not lovely with unpaid bills and no necessities.However, God is able to provide all of this (Matthew 6:25-34).
Much
of what the world sings as love is physical lust. It is that love that uses and
dumps. It is that love that does not last and can easily change. It is
temporary, always ends in sorrow and has no commitment.
True
physical love is found in the context of marriage it does not just include sex
but most importantly it includes a commitment to ones partner and the taking of
responsibility of children that are brought up in a marriage.
Here are questions that
will help you understand and evaluate yourself.
1.
What are you doing to make sure there is
always food in the house?
2. Are
you over due on your rent?
3. Are
you over due on your water bill?
4. Are
you over due on your light bill?
5. Are
cloths worn-out?
6. Have
you taken more than a year without buying new cloths?
Spiritual Love
Spiritual
Love here refers that love that flows from your spirit. The spirit is the most
important part of man because it is seed of your motive, intentions and desire.
The genuineness of your love comes from this place. True love is sincere and in
deeds and not mere words.
Many
love among boys and girls in hypocritical because it just wants to get what it
desires. It motives is wrong, the person may smile at you but when you leave it
will mock you. The greatest question in love is, “what is the motive of the
action?” There is a hunger in everyone’s heart to be sure that his loves really
love him sincerely.
Here
are some questions that can help you examine this area of you love
1. What can you sacrifice for your love one?
2. What is your motive of being good to your
spouse?
3. Do you sincerely love your love your love
one?
4. If there is marriage after life will you
marry your love one?
5. Is there an area you are pretending or
covering up form spouse?
Soulish Love
The
third and most neglected love is the Soulish love. The word for soul in the Bible
is the word literally translated psyche. It refers to the mind, emotions and
thoughts.. This is friendly love. This
love is thoughtful and wonderful. It thinks about the one it loves. It puts
such a one in the equation of things. It consults with such a one before it
does things. A friends slap is better than an enemy's kiss.
It
is most emphasized before marriage and the most neglected love in marriage. A
little self examination will do one some good I am sure.
1. How many decisions did you take today in
consultation with your spouse?
2. Are there decisions that you think are
either too big or too small to involve your spouse?
3. When returning home today did you remember to
get something for your spouse?
4. When was the last time you went out for an
outing with your spouse?
5. When was the last time you told your spouse
that you love him or her?
6. What are things that your spouse enjoys
that you love simply because you value your spouse?
7. Do you cherish your spouse because you
value the Lord?
8. The way you are behaving to your spouse now
if that was the way you behave before marriage, “would he have married you?”
Conclusion
Love must be sincere and
complete. The physical, spiritual and soul must feel love. Most of the problems
in Christian marriages can be trace to soulish. We have stop befriending our
spouses after marriage. What made us special to them is no longer seen. What we
need is to get the Lord involve. Let us ask him sincerely and constantly how to
love our spouses and he will help us. You can constantly pray this prayer. “Lord,
I do not know how to love my spouse. Help me to see things the way you see
them. Help to be sincere. Above all help me to follow your part in this
marriage, Holy Spirit bring everything in my life in obedience to Christ in
Jesus name, amen.”