TAYLOR WILKIE|GUEST

As a little girl, I always dreamed of the perfect man that I would someday marry. I mean, what girl doesn’t do that? It started out as me thinking it would be so fun to play house with someone who was like my daddy. Loving, fun, and always looking for ways to help his children.

During my teenage years and even into college, my innocent yearnings for a husband quickly went from cute to obsessed. Thinking about this mystery man for so many years while simultaneously listening to the world and its views of marriage deafened my ears to what God’s word says about love. You see, I was fooling myself into thinking that the “perfect” man would completely satisfy me in every way. Ultimately, I believed my husband would be not only my all satisfying joy in this life, but he would be my savior.  I would never admit that back then though. In my naivety, I truly didn’t believe the deep sin in my heart was even there.

On my wedding day, I couldn’t believe the man I had prayed for so long was finally waiting for me at the end of what seemed like the longest aisle on earth. I just wanted to run down it and jump into his arms. The Lord has been so sweet to me in providing me with a husband who loves Him deeply and leads our marriage in ways that continuously remind me of our end goal on this earth.

Not even a month into our marriage, I experienced many feelings and frustrations that my poor husband so graciously loved me through. So many changes were happening so fast. So many expectations had gone unmet. One morning I was spending time with the Lord and it hit me: I had been expecting my husband to be my savior. I expected him to love me perfectly, keep me full of joy at all times, and satisfy every deep need and desire that was nestled down in my sinful human heart.

Psalm 16:11 tells us “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” The living, breathing Word of God makes it so clear that He is the only one who can provide fullness of joy. I am forever grateful that the Lord chose to draw me to him. Is love and joy being married? Being falsely satisfied by material things? Achieving a certain social status? Not even a little bit.

Would you walk with me on this journey to see what true, sacrificial love is?

Let’s look at one of my favorite passages:

Romans 5:6-9 tells us “…at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been Justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”

We were once separated from the Almighty God, deserving his wrath. Christ came down from glory to rescue us. Because of the sacrificial death of Christ, sin has no grip on us. We were his enemies and now he calls us friend. My favorite part is “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Absolutely unfathomable. What a gift it is that we have been pardoned of sin through the death of Christ on our behalf! It truly does my heart good to reflect on this truth each day.

Our heavenly Father sent his one and only Son from heaven to earth in the form of a man to save us from eternal damnation that we deserve. We were once marked “guilty” and now we are forgiven, reconciled, and adopted into the family of our Maker. Now THAT is love. Not only was the life of Christ given up for us, but it was a brutal death he died. All for you. All for me. Simple. As. THAT.

We no longer have to prove ourselves worthy. We no longer have to strive to be good enough. We are accepted, welcomed, and loved. Not one of God’s promises to us have been broken; they never will. Don’t settle for cheapened, watered down, earthly “love.” Remember true joy and immeasurable love is found in our Redeemer. This Valentine’s season, as our culture talks about all things love, let us remember the truth of God’s great love for us in Christ.

About the Author:

Taylor Wilkie

Taylor lives in the “magic city” of Birmingham, Alabama with her hunky husband, who serves as the Operations Director for a college ministry. She has a heart to share with others the lost art of hospitality. Inviting others into not only her home, but also her life is Taylor’s greatest joy. She is a nanny to three precious children, runs her own mobile spray tan business and has just joined a community of Hope*Writers to encourage and guide her writing journey. You can always find her with coffee in hand and laundry to be folded.