Returning to Love

"From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to on Bethel, tothe place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier and where hehad first built an alter. There Abram called on the name of the LORD."-Genesis 13:3-4In the Bible, we are told that Abram returned to the place where he had builthis first altar to God. Abram had been falling away from God; he hadpractically disowned his wife in Egypt, and had subsequently been deported.His response was to go back to where he had first called on God.

In life, all too often we may find ourselves having lost our original purpose,or distracted from our "first love." I am not necessarily referring toromantic ties, although, such are included. How many times have we been shocked to hear of marriages crumbling, the end result of marital slumber and spousal neglect? The same loveand security that was once cherished, slowly disintegrates into a place oflimbo where we take our spouse and marriage for granted, failing to noticethe precious gifts this person has bestowed on us when we offered them oursolemn marriage vow. Little by little, manners, respect, and thoughtfulsensitivity begin to lag off when the garden of marriage is not properlywatered by both caretakers. The end result is a marriage bed of weeds ratherthan flowers.

The same is often true in our careers.As youthful newbies to the work scene, we are optimistic and enthusiasticover our jobs and what good fortune the future may hold, but over time, itis common for us to lose that same excitement, soon dreading the tasks setbefore us. In turn, our dissatisfaction subtly creeps out to others as ourattitude becomes negative, and quick-tempered.

In similar fashion, have we promised God we would get on theright track, and then, over time, we lose the initial fervor that once fueledour faith?

As did Abram, so too, do we need to return to our altar, the place of ouroriginal love. The physical landmarks may have changed over time, but noneed to worry since this is a journey of the emotional and spiritual realm.

When you value something, you cleave to it, do you not? Does one set aprecious diamond on the sidewalk to get trampled upon? Or, do we care forthose things we hold near and dear?

Returning to our original loves is a mindset that positively influences ourwords and deeds. It is a decision to abandon negative, old habits thatdetract from godliness, and to begin each day with a renewed appreciation andcommitment to the things in life that are important to us, such as family,career, marriage, and our spiritual welfare. Returning to the altar of loveis a place where we set aside the hurts of the past, and cleave to the hopesof tomorrow, as promised us by our Lord, Jesus Christ.

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Contributed by Melanie Schurr (Copyright (c)2003 Melanie Schurr) Melanie Schurr is author of "Ecstatic Living Ecstatic Loving: How to have more peace and joy in marriage, and life in general by walking in harmony with God," and "Son Salutations: A refreshing collection of modern inspirations for those who seek God each day." For more information, visit her web page at www.angelfire.com/mi/melschurr