Sonnet 116: Let me not to the marriage of true minds
ByWilliam Shakespeare Let me not to the marriage of true minds Admit impediments. Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove. O no! it is an ever-fixed mark That looks on tempests and is never shaken; It is the star to every wand'ring bark, Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken. Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks Within his bending sickle's compass come; Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out even to the edge of doom. If this be error and upon me prov'd, I never writ, nor no man ever lov'd. What a beautiful description of what a man’s and woman’s love should be for one another. It’s an ideal love—a love that endures through failures, discouraging times, and the aging process. Yes, we can dye our hair; yes, we can apply lotions; but no matter the solutions offered to counter aging, wrinkles happen and our skin sags. With true love, these things don’t matter; true love knows that it’s the heart that counts! Ideal love—a blissful picture! How blessed are marriages that exemplify this, but we must understand that living in a fallen world as we do, with sinners living with sinners, this ideal may not be reached by all. However, think now of your perfect God . . . “Love is not love that alters when it alteration finds…” This is God! When we wander, He is faithful to pursue us—He leaves the ninety-nine to save the one! That’s you—that’s me! He is always faithful! “…or bends with the remover to remove.” We may not feel temporarily lost; we may turn our backs and walk away from God. Perhaps to our eyes God has appeared to be too distant to hear our prayers when we’ve encountered struggles, trials, discouragement, and depression; or perhaps we see those who claim to be Christian acting hypocritically, and we do not wish to follow in their footsteps; then there are those Christians who deliberately hurt us. Why do people walk away? I supposed the list is too long to cover. The important fact to remember is that if we remove ourselves from our Father, He does not bend and remove Himself from us! What a comforting thought that is, to know our Father is constant. His nature never has and never will change; His love for us is unending, and He will pursue us to our very last breath! Hallelujah! Love …”it is the star to every wandering bark…” When we are struggling and being lured to wander, we just need to remember to look up to our God in heaven! As stars guided sailors of old, God is our point of reference—our guiding light, keeping us on paths of growth and righteousness each moment, each day. He is the One and only One who can give us hope, peace, joy, contentment, and the fulfilling LOVE we so desire and need. If you are searching for perfect love, you need do more than look up! Behold the God of all creation—the God who loves you so much He died for you; the God who loves you so much, He will never leave or forsake you, but will pursue you all the days of your life. Why? You are His treasure, His valued one. Today, may you be filled with the love of our faithful God, who, though He knew we would rebel and sin, did not bend or remove Himself from our lives; rather, in the purest act of love, He sacrificed His Son, and through Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, we are given eternal life. This is LOVE, a love that “does not alter when it alteration finds or bend with the remover to remove!” VERSES: Numbers 23:19 "God is not a man, so He does not lie. He is not human, so He does not change His mind. Has He ever spoken and failed to act? Has He ever promised and not carried it through?” Psalm 139:7-8 “I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from Your presence! If I go up to heaven, You are there; if I go down to the grave, You are there.” 2 Timothy 2:13 "If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny who He is.” Deuteronomy 31:6b “For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for your constant love and care. Thank You for pursuing me in the past, until I surrendered to Your loving Son; in the present, when I stray from Your love and reliance on You; and in the coming future years, when I might tend to wander. What a wonderful peace it is to know You will never leave nor forsake me, that You will always love me in spite of all my infirmities: “Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove. O no! it is an ever-fixed mark that looks on tempests and is never shaken; It is the star to every wand'ring bark.” THIS IS TRUE LOVE, constant and never failing, and I will praise You each and every day, thanking You for that perfect love! DISCLAIMER: I am just an ordinary woman who loves Jesus, accepting Him as Savior at the age of thirty-two and digging into the Bible ever since. How could I possibly hope to develop a heart relationship with God and trust Him with my life if I didn't know who He is?! These devotionals are written to help you journey with Christ and grow in your heart relationship with Him. However, it is essential that you examine my words, and those of all other "teachers," with God's Holy Word. Therein lies the source of all truth! Comments are closed.
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Author Candice Mary Thomas writes about loving God and loving people! Coming to Christ at age 32 and now in her 70's, Candice knows what a difference it makes living with or without Christ as one's personal Savior. Archives
December 2022
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