Notes of Faith February 22, 2025
The Four Loves: Eros—Our Love for Our Spouse
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—for your love is more delightful than wine.
Song of Solomon 1:2, NIV
In our weekend devotions this month, we’ve looked at the four Greek words often translated into English as love: agape, philia, storge, and now eros. This word conveys the physical dimension of the love between a husband and wife. In the Bible, we find the most vivid description of this kind of love in Song of Solomon. That little book is placed in Scripture to describe the joyous intimacy God intends for the marriage partnership.
Of course, intimacy isn’t just confined to the bedroom. Marriage isn’t an easy relationship, and we have to work on it. There’s a lot of benefit that comes from simple things like holding hands on a walk, hugging over the kitchen sink, greeting each other with a warm and spontaneous smile at the end of the workday, and letting the other choose the restaurant or television program.
This weekend, remember that marriage needs constant effort and humility. Like the old quote says: “Marriage requires falling in love many times, and always with the same person.”
If a man doesn’t treat his wife right, I don’t want to hear him talk about Christianity.
D. L. Moody
The only relationship meant to be more intimate than the one God created and gave to husband and wife is the one between each believer and God Himself. Both Old Testament and New Testament believers are offered this relationship with God by His grace and through the faith that He gives each person to believe in Him! This is the first and foremost relationship in life, followed by the blissful and because of the sin of mankind, sometimes stressful and difficult intimacy between husband and wife. May you be blessed in every earthly and spiritual relationship that God brings your way! Receive them with gratitude and praise for what God is doing in your life!
Pastor Dale