Love Laura as Christ loved the Church

1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

This passage came to mind earlier and in the margins of my Bible I have written, "Description of Christ and His love for the church." Several years back Allred led a Bible study series on the passage above and he stated how this passage is very common for being read at weddings, but the romantic kind of love was not Paul's original intent. Paul's intent in this passage was to show the Corinthians Christ and what they are to seek after in their interaction with one another. Basically, the word "love," is interchangeable with Christ.

I decided to make the connection between this passage and Ephesians 5. If I am to love Laura as Christ loved the church then essentially: I will be patient and kind with Laura. I will lead her humbly, never envying her gifts or boasting about mine over her. During conflict I will not let the sun go down on my anger. No score card of wrongs will ever be kept, but grace will define our daily living. By grace, I will rejoice in truth and seek to put to death all sin. As I am faithful to glorify God in my marriage I will protect and trust Laura. Through good times and bad, sickness and health, I will persevere in loving Laura. During the hard times I will maintain hope, not because of who Laura is, but because of our foundation in the cross.

Reason #40 why I am excited to marry Laura:
Despite the fact that I am a goober and in need of lots of help, she is eager to be my helper.