The Way a Man Loves a Woman

There are three things that amaze me— no, four things that I don’t understand:how an eagle glides through the sky, how a snake slithers on a rock, how a ship navigates the ocean, how a man loves a woman. Proverbs 30:18-19 (NLT)Obviously the writer of this proverb was a lot smarter than me, because there are a lot more than three things that amaze me and so very much I don’t understand. Just the other day I saw an eagle gliding through the sky, and yes it is amazing, flight is amazing. Snakes are different; they are sort of a creepy amazing. I think I could learn to navigate a ship right after I get over my sea sickness. But that man loving a woman thing - I have been at it for 35 years and am still free falling into the abyss of loving Susie. It is a wonderful, awesome, exhilarating, challenging, mysterious, “you’ve got to be kidding,” head scratching, heart mushing, “what the hesh!”, “I don’t want to live without her,” “why is she crying,” “no one makes me feel this good,” “no one can make me feel this miserable,” “twitterpated, “she is something else,” “there is nobody like her,” “Thank you God!” kind of life experience.She can me feel like an HBoM (Hunking Block of Manliness), but also like a complete doofus who has not a shred of intelligence. She plays the most amazing compositions on the strings of my heart, but she is also able to tear out my gut. Her beauty is dazzling, her cuteness is disarming, her wit is adorable, her wisdom is rare, her laughter is a show, her spiciness is just perfect, her intelligence is formidable, her strength is deceptive, her devotion is a gift, and her love, oh that love – wow! Forget the eagles, snakes, and ships on the ocean, a loving woman is much more puzzling than all three of them combined.Falling in love is not very difficult, staying in love and growing in love is, but it is possible. I think so, even more importantly God thinks so. He encourages lovers to learn ever more about love, to never let go of love, to excel in love, to grow deeper in love, to be ever amazed by love. Oh the love between a man and woman.If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends (fails). 1 Corinthians 13:3-8 (ESV, parenthesis mine)To God be all glory. Happy Valentines, Pastor Hans