“I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice [and] my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon [him] as long as I live.” (Ps 116:1-2 AV)
It is telling that the psalmist never tells us exactly what it was that God did or did not do. It seems the fact that God heard him was sufficient to render love in return. How many of us love only if we are given the desires of our hearts? Not the writer. It didn’t matter how God chose to answer. He was going to love the LORD no matter what. If God would listen and choose to do nothing, his love would not abate. If the LORD listened and chose to answer unsavorily, it mattered not. He would love the LORD any way. All he cared about was that God listened. How He chose to answer was a plus. This is the depth of true love. What we get in return is not the condition upon which we place our love. It is the mere presence of the individual who gives their undivided attention that matters the most.
The older we get, the more like this our marriages become. When we were young, love was a bit conditional. As we grew accustomed to one another, shared experiences, and enjoyed the blessings of life, our love became less and less conditional. As we age and our health begins to fail, this love is at a whole new level. Gone are any expectations of reciprocal love. We are there for one another regardless of what we may enjoy in return. We are there through sickness and in health. We are there for better or for worse. A romantic night out ending in alone time used to be the definition of love. Now, just sitting together in our living room enjoying one another’s company is a thrill. Today is Valentine's day. No doubt couples will be spending time and money to make it is special day. As well, they should if they can. However, when you get to a certain age, having a sandwich while watching your favorite episode of a program and laying in bed with a video or two is as romantic as it gets. Love is not absent. It is deeper than it ever has been. Why? Because we can talk and the other listens. It is the exchange of ideas, feelings, hopes, and even shared prayer that means more than anything else life could offer.
This morning was a time of sweet prayer with God. I asked, as I always do, for the rapture. I know that my prayers alone will not affect it, but they can’t hurt. The more I pray for eternity; the sweeter God becomes. I imagine a time of absolute rest. The flesh is destroyed. The mind is perfect. There is no sin nor temptation to sin. All anxiety, fear, pressure, etc. are all gone. Nothing but the sweet fellowship with the LORD and the saints. How I covet it! Lying there in bed and having a conversation with the LORD was as special a time as any I have ever had. Knowing that He was listening, and that He cared about every word was good enough for this weary soul. The psalmist is correct. I love the LORD because He listens, and that He hears. I don’t know what answer will come, but it is secondary to a infinitely large shoulder to rest upon. I love God because He loved me first.
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