We’ve all heard it read as a couple joins in union on their wedding day… the famously known verses from the love chapter in 1 Corinthians 13, in which they make vows and promises to hold true to these verses.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

You see when Paul wrote this to the Corinthians he wasn’t writing about an eros love (romantic love), He was writing about an agape love, a love that is selfless and unconditional, the highest and greatest form of love there is. A love that only God is capable of, in which He showed us through the cross and shedding of His blood, a love that He as the Father displays to us, His children, every second of the day.

This chapter and specifically verses 4-7 is a description of Gods unconditional love, a love we are not capable of, yet is a love we should use as a guide and example to live our lives by. We are called to live in way that is reflective of Christ, and when we strive to love like Him that’s what reveals to others His true and real agape love that can only be felt and experienced through Him.

"We love because he first loved us". -1 John 4:19

This passage can be looked at in many ways; as a beautiful encouraging piece of scripture and remembrance of Gods vast unfailing and incomprehensible love He has for us. There’s nothing wrong with seeing it like that, I personally believe there is more to it though, that Paul was trying to explain something deeper. When I read through this passage it creates this sense of an awe forming fear of God within me, a fear of God we are encouraged to have.

These verses make me realize that there never has or will be a same love as the love that the Lord reveals to us. It’s only through Christ that agape love can be experienced, His love so great and powerful that it breathed life to everything and every one of us. This love truly reveals Gods great power and might, that He is capable of all things, it just leaves me in complete wonder of Him, and knowing that I nor anyone else in existence is capable of expressing this type of love.

With this all said, I got to thinking, this piece of scripture is so often abused, it sets a standard that I know, I or anyone else can never possibly even be close to meeting. So why is it that even though we know we’re not capable of loving exactly like this we still hold people to it? Why do we expect another flawed human like ourselves to be capable of an agape love, a love we already know we aren’t capable of.

I feel like this expectation is what causes so many of the issues within relationships because so often we think we can get this love that we truly desire, from another individual or worldly thing. We hope that another can fulfill us in this way and when they don’t we become frustrated and disappointed. That’s so much pressure to place on someone, an unnecessary expectation placed on their shoulders.

The purpose of relationships is to encourage each other and guide one another more and more into Gods love, the love that only truly fulfills the desires and longing of the heart. For His love is the ONLY love that will leave you completely full and leave a soul at peace.

I’m going to be straight up, you’re not going to find the deep fulfillment from that guy or girl, you’re not going to find it among this broken world… But my friend if you simply lift your eyes towards Heaven, turning your gaze upon Him then you’ll see it, then you’ll feel it and experience the truest, purest and most beautiful love your heart has ever deeply desired

"For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you." -Isaiah 62:5