"Still Loved"

 

“Still Loved”

 

One of the top ten TV game shows of all time (according to a 2013 TV Guide survey) is “The Newlywed Game”. It made its network debut in 1966 and since then has spawned many additional versions domestically and internationally. The premise involved asking recently married couples questions (often “loaded” ones) separately and seeing if their responses matched up. Some answers and reactions were hilarious; others testy and embarrassing, even resulting in eventual divorces in isolated cases. A takeaway is that we sometimes don’t know as much about our husband or wife as we think we do.

A watered down version has provided amusement at church socials over the years in which one spouse learned something he or she never knew about the other but I can’t recall any time something disconcerting was revealed. Other game shows adapted for such gatherings include “The Match Game” and “Family Feud”. This shows us humor doesn’t have to be tainted to be entertaining.

As Karen and I were talking about Psalm 139 this past summer she contrasted “The Newlywed Game” with God’s intimate knowledge of every aspect of our lives, even before our birth (“…You knit me together in my mother’s womb…All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”—verses 13,16). Even after almost 52 years of marriage she and I keep learning new things about each other (e.g. likes and dislikes and childhood experiences). But God knew everything about us before we took our first breath—“Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:13, emphasis added)--even to the point that “…the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” (Matthew 10:30). But amazingly, even though God knows everything about us, warts and all, He has always loved us and always will (“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.”—Jeremiah 31:3, emphasis added). But He didn’t just say He loves us unconditionally—He proved it by His actions (“…God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”—John 3:16, emphasis added).

Some have told me over the years that they no longer loved their spouse with heart-wrenching results. But no one will ever hear such words from God—He still loves us no matter what (“…the Father himself loves you….”—John 16:27). Truly “God is love.” (1 John 4:16)—and He assures us that “I…do not change.” (Malachi 3:6). What more could we want?

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan