Our first love is the one we run to first with good news and trying times. We know our first love will listen because of the ways they have shown their love to us.  We trust our first love with all our current thoughts and dreams and aspirations for the future!  Our first love is the one to whom we rely on for comfort.  We miss them when they leave and long for their return. Our first love is the one we marry with a forever commitment of loyalty and submission to each other. 

It is God who created “the two shall become one flesh” in marriage. The very phrase “two become one flesh” is written first Genesis 2:24, from the beginning!  The entire verse states: “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh“. This foundational verse on marriage is repeated by Jesus in Matthew 19:5 and Mark 10:8, and by Paul in Ephesians 5:31.  God created marriage to be a union that expresses His own love and faithfulness to us.  Marriage is to be a witness of God’s glorious ways!  God is our first love who brings two people together as a way to show the world real love and forever faithfulness.

The psalm writers sing a wedding song about God’s love in us that extends to a real, lasting love between two people who loved Him first.

Psalm 45, The Message

For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil. A wedding song.

My heart bursts its banks,
    spilling beauty and goodness.
I pour it out in a poem to the king,
    shaping the river into words:

* * *

^2-4 “You’re the handsomest of men;
    every word from your lips is sheer grace,
    and God has blessed you, blessed you so much.
Strap your sword to your side, warrior!
    Accept praise! Accept due honor!
    Ride majestically! Ride triumphantly!
Ride on the side of truth!
    Ride for the righteous meek!

^4-5 “Your instructions are glow-in-the-dark;
    you shoot sharp arrows
Into enemy hearts; the king’s
    foes lie down in the dust, beaten.

^6-7 “Your throne is God’s throne,
    ever and always;
The scepter of your royal rule
    measures right living.
You love the right
    and hate the wrong.
And that is why God, your very own God,
    poured fragrant oil on your head,
Marking you out as king
    from among your dear companions.

^8-9 “Your forest-drenched garments
    are fragrant with mountain breeze.
Chamber music—from the throne room—
    makes you want to dance.
Kings’ daughters are maids in your court,
    the Bride glittering with golden jewelry.

* * *

^10-12 “Now listen, daughter, don’t miss a word:
    forget your country, put your home behind you.
Be here—the king is wild for you.
    Since he’s your lord, adore him.
Wedding gifts pour in from Tyre;
    rich guests shower you with presents.”

^13-15 (Her wedding dress is dazzling,
    lined with gold by the weavers;
All her dresses and robes
    are woven with gold.
She is led to the king,
    followed by her virgin companions.
A procession of joy and laughter!
    a grand entrance to the king’s palace!)

^16-17 “Set your mind now on sons—
    don’t dote on father and grandfather.
You’ll set your sons up as princes
    all over the earth.
I’ll make you famous for generations;
    you’ll be the talk of the town
    for a long, long time.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Psalm 45 could be a song written for a wedding (perhaps one of King David’s daughters was the bride). The Sons of Korah sing truth: God is our refuge and strength.  We can rely on God with calm assurance in the middle of chaos when God is our very first love.

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

We can depend on the love of God. Can our spouse depend on our love?

God’s love is described in His Word as unchanging, steadfast, and eternal.  Paul writes of God’s love as real, lasting and forever connected to believers of His love.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

Pause to pray to our Lord of real, lasting love.  We love Him because He first loved us, says John the beloved disciple of Jesus.  Jesus demonstrated the extent of God’s love for us by washing the dirty feet of his sandaled disciples, most of whom would betray Him that very night! (John 13) Then he further extended God’s love for us on a cross as the one and only perfect and holy sacrifice for our sins.  God’s love for us is amazing and powerful. 

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8

God demonstrates how to love in marriage with commitment first to His love.

We learn that God’s love is

Committed and connected forever

Sacrificial without conditions, putting the interests of the other before your own

Service, without expecting anything in return

Our blessed assurance of hope of eternal life with Him.

Our response is to love like God loved us, as demonstrated through His Son, Jesus.  This is a daily discipline that is empowered by God’s Holy Spirit living in us. We cannot as humans do this without God’s Helper sent to us to be our Counselor and Guide to who God is with how to love like God.

“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” Isaiah 54:10

Oh Lord,

May your love flow through us in unshakable ways so that the world may know of your love. Your love is real and everlasting.  The world needs your love right now.  May we demonstrate your love today.  There will always be someone who needs to know your love.  YOU are my first love and I am committed to your ways of love.

“May the morning bring word of your unfailing love for I have put all my trust in You.” Psalm 143;8

In Jesus Name, Amen