Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
Here’s another interesting Hebrew word parallel. The Hebrew word for “love” or “affection”, “chiba”, is formed by the same root letters as the word, “chova”, “obligation”, “debt”, or “duty”. In Hebrew, the only difference between these two words is a few vowel points. But you say, “Isn’t love the very opposite of obligation !?” Well, yes and no. The Hebrew language has a wonderful way of relating concepts which seem incompatible.
The common romantic view of love in films and novels draws heavily on strong feelings of affection or passion. Even our love for God can flow from those kinds of feelings. (The apostle Peter was filled with them shortly before he denied the Lord three times.) But love based on obligation is another matter, and it’s significant that the Jewish marriage contract, the “Ketubah”, contains a list of “obligations” that a husband is required to fulfill for his wife. He might be passionately “in love” with her when he signs this contract, yet the wisdom of experience says this passion may wither with time, so the marriage ceremony formally “obligates” him to his spouse. By accepting these “obligations”, he agrees that love is nurtured by commitment.
One Rabbi commented: “Love which flows from obligation endures, but when obligation follows love, both are doomed.”
Our bridal relationship to Yeshua (Jesus) also reflects this reality. His “obligation” to us flowed from an irrevocable decision of His will and commitment to love us…which cost Him His human life. We might speculate on the Lord’s feelings for us, but we don’t have to wonder at all about His obligation, or the absolute security we have in His love for us. Our love for Him can be the same. Feelings of love are wonderful. But they also come and go. And there’ll be times when we wonder, “Where’s that lovin’ feeling? Is God really there?” And that’s when the sure foundation of commitment will arise in the heart of every true lover.
God’s great love for us is expressed in His commitment; to cover our debt of sin; guide us through this earthly life, and be our eternal Heavenly Husband. Cleansed by His blood and filled with His Spirit we can love Him and one another with the same commitment. The feelings will follow.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy Devotions. This devotional was originally published on Worthy Devotions and was reproduced with permission.
How to display the above article within the Worthy Suite WordPress Plugin.
[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]The world seems to be turning inside out, upside down! And while hearing the collapse of society may lead many to anger and resentment ... let's remember that life and death are in the power of the tongue! Remember that blessing and cursing should never come out of the same vessel! [ James 3:10 ] So despite how crazy the world is ... let's choose to bless this world!
Pompeii was a flourishing city in Southern Italy until 79 AD. Suddenly, for two days Mt. Vesuvius erupted and completely destroyed Pompeii in all its pomp. The city was covered in meters of ash and pumice for 1700 years until it was accidentally discovered in 1748.
Ezekiel 33:6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but ...
Worthy Devotions - A daily Christian Devotional Worthy Devotions is a daily devotional ministry delivering inspiring, uplifting, and encouraging messages straight from Israel. Sign up for our short, yet powerful devotions today!
We’ve been encouraged by numerous phone calls, texts, and emails in the past few days, telling us that people are praying and fasting for the United States and for Israel as we begin this new year.
This week could be historic. As tensions in the Middle East continue unabated, the threat of war is a reality for many in the region. This coming Tuesday, the determination of which party controls the United States Senate will take place as the people of Georgia will vote for two senators. And finally, on Wednesday, the United States Congress is set to certify the electors of who will be the President of the United States.
Some experts believe that acute stress can provoke changes in the heart that may lead to death. In one study, fifteen cases were identified in which people died after a physical assault, even though the injuries alone were not enough to kill them. Eleven of the fifteen showed a type of heart-cell death, similar to a reaction in experimental animals that feel helpless to anticipate or avoid danger.
During the 1990’s in an NCAA Division II national championship cross-country race in California, a bizarre twist of events took place. Mike Delcavo and 127 of the best runners in the country were battling for glory over the 10,000 meter course. About three miles into the race, Delvaco was somewhere in the middle of the pack, when he realized that the runners had made a wrong turn. So he yelled out, “You’re going the wrong way,” but they didn’t listen. Only 4 others followed Mike when he turned in the right direction…and suddenly, he found himself in the lead.