Love is Meant to Grow

A few years ago I sat before three small, blank, black, canvases, my mind empty of inspiration.  My friend and I had gathered with supplies at my kitchen table, both prepared to do a little painting.  She had come to my house for inspiration, but I, myself, had no idea of what I wanted to paint.

As we prepared for the process, we shared what was on our hearts, and then we decided to spend a little time in prayer to set before the Father the things that concerned us.  It was something my friend said in prayer that suddenly gave me the idea I needed to get started.  It was a small phrase that brought a picture to my mind.....simple, yet at the same time, deep and profound.

The words that captured my imagination were, "Love is meant to grow."  With these words I saw in my mind three hearts that got progressively bigger, with the word "LOVE" on each, increasing in size.  

 What I understood by this phrase is that God's love is un-ending, and that our relationship with Him is meant to become deeper and greater as we learn to trust and obey Him more fully.  It's a continual process.  The more we trust and obey.....the more trusting and more obedient we become.....as by faith we witness firsthand God's goodness and faithfulness.  

I saw another concept in my mind through this visual image.  I saw the ideal way a human relationship is supposed to grow in love.  Particularly, I recognized the way love should grow between a man and a woman.  As the bride of Messiah is called to keep herself pure for her coming Bridegroom, so too should a couple remain pure and spotless for one another until the day they make a covenant before God through marriage.  Growing love is meant to last a lifetime.

I painted this second series to honor of a young couple who has conducted their relationship in the most godly way I have ever witnessed.....they exemplify the concepts that I saw in this design.  In a few days, they will seal their marriage covenant .....with their first kiss....a symbol of their reverent purity before our holy God. Their relationship is a beautiful testimony of God's goodness.

So, what should a growing love look like in our lives?

And how should our love be demonstrated?

 In Matthew 22:35-40 the teachers of the law asked our Teacher and Savior essentially these same questions.  Rabbi Yeshua answered them by referring to the commandments of Torah.  Quoting from the Word of God, he answered, 

"Love the Lord your God with all your soul and with all your mind, 
this is the first and greatest commandment.  
And the second is like it:  
"Love your neighbor as yourself."

John sums it up by saying, 
"In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands."

May we learn to trust and obey more fully,
and may the LOVE we have for God 
and one another.....

grow

and grow

and grow!!!

Dedicated to Kris and Alethia 

You can check out Alethia's beautiful and inspirational blog at:  

http://alethialov.tumblr.com/tagged/personal