Maintain Love

Growing up in our cozy country home, we had a giant wood stove in the garage that warmed our two-story house. Just thinking about it now brings back such nostalgic feelings! The warm air from the burning wood filled our entire home. I remember those nights when we would snuggle into our beds, feeling so comfortable and warm. But in the morning, even though the flames were still flickering in the stove, getting out from under our blankets was a struggle! We would lie there, waiting for my dad to wake up and add more wood to the fire. Even though there were still simmering flames, we couldn’t feel the stove’s warmth anymore. My parents constantly had to add wood to maintain the warmth and coziness of our home. Hosea 12:6 states, "But you must return to your God; maintain love..., and always wait on your God." Just as maintaining our home required effort to create a warm and inviting atmosphere, nurturing our love for God also demands dedication. To maintain something means to keep it alive and going; it’s a continuous process. We nurture our love for God by spending quality time with Him. It is essential to "always wait on your God" to maintain love. By dedicating moments to be alone with Him, we create space for His presence. This continuous waiting fuels the flames of our love, allowing us to experience His presence and the warmth that radiates from it.

 

The LORD is with you when you are with him. ..., but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. (2 Ch. 15:2)