God made marriage for spouses to delight in each other. #theloriclineshow Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Do you know you are loved? I mean not just loved, but delighted in? When you delight in something, it brings you joy. You lean into it and you can’t get enough. That’s how I am loved. When you know you are loved, it changes everything. Growing up I had no doubt I was loved. I was loved well by my parents and then I discovered God’s amazing love for me. I accepted that gift of love and found myself secure, confident and free in who He created me to be. Then I met my husband in college and discovered a redeeming love that captured my heart. It’s a God designed display of Christ’s love for His bride, the church. It’s an eternal love story like no other and no matter your relational status at this moment, you’re invited into it. Love’s design is where the story begins in creation. Love made a way through Jesus and love is the promise of what’s to come. Love is the motivator. God SO loved, because He IS love. You see marriage is SO much more than an ‘I do’. It’s a holy union, established by a holy God to be a reflection of His deep and intimate love for us in the here and now as well as for eternity to come. It’s a gift we delight in as God delights in us. Today I am celebrating God’s gift of love to me. It’s my anniversary! My husband and I have been married 30 years today. In honor of that I am wearing my bridal veil! I haven’t had this thing out, I don’t believe, since my wedding day! I was inspired to wear it by my sweet friend Debbie. She and her husband Pete have been married thirty years as well. Each year on their anniversary, Pete wears his top hat and Deb wears her bridal veil. They walked into church like that one Sunday and it was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. Everywhere they went that day, in their top hat and veil, they brought joy and celebration. Even after thirty years, they delight in one another and they delight in the Lord for His gift of love to them. It’s beautiful. When I think about delighting in love, I can’t help but think of Song Of Solomon. We won’t read it here today, you can do that on your own. But, I do want to share a couple of verses God has used to draw my heart closer to His and closer to the one who holds my heart. Song of Solomon 2:4 Let him lead me to the banquet hall, and let his banner over me be love. Solomon’s bride knew she was his. His banner, like a flag of victory, surrounded her, protected her and blessed her abundantly. Underneath this covering of unconditional love, she knew she was safe and could fully rest and be free to love and be loved in the arms of her beloved. As a child of God, I live my life under the banner of His love. I walk in victory. I am free and abundantly blessed as I rest in His arms of love and grace. Song of Solomon 2:16 My beloved is mine and I am his; This is covenant talk. I give myself to you and you give yourself to me. This oneness is a sacred trust. It’s not simply for the honeymoon phase, it’s a oneness of body, mind, heart and soul that stands the test of time. For better or worse, in sickness and in health, in loss and in plenty, when we’re tired and the kids won’t go to bed or do their laundry and we’re getting on each other’s last nerve, till death do we part, I am yours and you are mine. This is the same covenant promise we have from God all throughout scripture. From Genesis to Revelation, He reminds us of His promise, I will be your God and you will be my people. His banner over me is love and I am His and He is mine. I rejoice in this love and I delight IN it. Proverbs 5:18 May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. I’ll just leave that right there for the married couples. May we rejoice and delight in our marriages today. This delights our heavenly Father and no matter if you’ve been married 30 days, 30 months or 30 years, your marriage is a holy gift of love that goes way beyond, I do. That’s the truth. Happy 30th Anniversary to my beloved. Wherever you go, I go. It’s a great adventure. I praise God for the gift of our marriage. It’s not perfect, but daily we look to the one who is and by His grace, we still say, I do. I’m Lori Cline.