BookClub- The Love Dare by Alex and Stephen Kendrick Day 22

Dear BookClub reader, welcome to day 22 of this book 'THE LOVE DARE'. The Love Dare is a non-fiction marriage-related book written by Alex and Stephen Kendrick. It is a 40-day Christian devotional designed to strengthen marriages. Click to view day 1, 2, 3 ,4 , 5 , 6, 7 ,  8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ,12 , 13,14, 15,16, 17 18 19, 20 21 
For this book reading, each day will contain three very important element;
First, a unique aspect of love will be discussed.

Second, you will be given a specific dare to do for your spouse.

Last, you will need a journal to log what you are learning and doing and how your spouse is responding by answering the 'question of the day'. These note will record your progress and should become priceless to you in the future.

The entire book will not be published but every chapter will be previewed and I strongly recommend that you get a hard copy for future references.

Ensure that you do not miss any part of this book reading. Enjoy!

DAY 17: Love is Faithful

I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness.
Then you will know the Lord.
—Hosea 2:20

As Christians, love is the basis of our whole identity. The account of the prophet Hosea is one of the most remarkable in the Bible. Against all logic and propriety, God instructed him to marry a prostitute. he wanted Hosea's marriage to show what Heaven's unconditional love looks like towards us.  Hosea's union with Gomer produced three children but, as expected, this woman who had long made her living in immorality was not content to stay faithful to one man. So Hosea was left to deal with a broken heart and the shame of abandonment. 

This is a true story, but it was used as a picture of God's love for us. We have rejected him in many ways- even after receiving His gift of eternal salvation- and yet He still loves us. He still remains faithful.

Even so, His love doesn't keep Him from calling us to account for our mistreatment of Him. We pay more of a price for our rejection than we often realize. Yet He still chooses to respond with grace and mercy Ephesians 1:7. In Him we have the model of what rejected love does. It stays faithful.

From the vantage point of the wedding altar, you would never have dreamed that the person you married might later become to you a kind of "enemy", one you would need to love as an act of almost total sacrifice. And yet far too often in marriage, the relationship does indeed dwindle down to that level. Even to the point of betrayals or, sadly, to unfaithfulness.

You can give undeserved love to your spouse because God gave undeserved love to you- repeatedly, enduringly. Love is often expressed the most to those who deserve it the least.

Ask Him to fill you with the kind of love only He can provide, then purpose to give it to your mate in a way that reflects your gratefulness to God for loving you. That's the beauty of redeeming love. That's the power of faithfulness.

TODAY’S DARE

Love is a choice, not a feeling. It is an initiated action, not a knee-jerk reaction. Choose today to be committed to love even if your spouse has lost most of their interest in receiving it. Say to them today in words similar to these, “I love you. Period. I choose to love you even if you don’t love me in return.”

QUESTION OF THE DAY
Why is this kind of love impossible without the love of Christ beating in your heart? How does His presence within you enable you to love, even when it's primarily one-sided?

Read also: BookClub- How You can Be Led by the Spirit of God- Kenneth E Hagins