love's motivation

Render service with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to men. Ephesians 6:7

When God is your reason for loving, our ability to love is guaranteed. The love between a husband and wife should have one chief objective: honoring the Lord with devotion and sincerity. The fact that it blesses our beloved in the process is simply a wonderful, additional benefit.

Only love that is lifted up as an offering to God--returned to Him in gratitude for all He's done--is able to sustain itself when all other reasons have lost their ability to energize us. Love that has God as its primary focus is unlimited in the heights is can attain.

The Love Dare, pp 141-143