Finding Love in the Bible – Words of Affirmation

I’m obsessed with the FYI TV show Married at First Sight–a reality show that “scientifically” matches couples who will not meet each other until they are in front of the minister at their wedding.

I want these marriages to work, because I believe marriage is holy.

In his book THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MOSES, Athol Dickson says

“What if  men, women, and the third thing we become when joined together–the “one flesh”–are somehow meant to be an earthly image and likeness of the three persons of God?”

So, what does my obsession with Married at First Sight have to do with the Five Love Languages series I started in my previous post?

Sonia and Nick (Sonic) quickly became my favorite couple in this latest six week “experiment”. Early on Sonia made it clear that her love language was words of affirmation. She needed to hear that she was special, appreciated and pretty. If she didn’t get those things from Nick, then she would not feel loved–her emotional love tank would not be filled. Harsh words, in particular, can be devastating, as we saw when Nick lashed out saying he didn’t find Sonia attractive. Her response was to move out, because she did not feel loved and probably at that moment hated Nick.

If your “Love Language” is Words of Affirmation you want to hear of your worth and beauty, but maybe you’re not hearing those things from the people you love.

Know this–God shows his love for you in these words:

1 Peter 2:9New International Version (NIV)

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

1 John 3:1New International Version (NIV)

3 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Psalm 45:11New International Version (NIV)

11 Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;

honor him, for he is your lord.

2 Corinthians 6:18New International Version (NIV)

18 And,
“I will be a Father to you,

and you will be my sons and daughters,

says the Lord Almighty.”[a]

Romans 9:24-26New International Version (NIV)

24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 25 As he says in Hosea:
“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people;
and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,”[a]

26 and,

“In the very place where it was said to them,
‘You are not my people,’

there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”[b]

Song of Songs 1:15-16New International Version (NIV)

He

15 How beautiful you are, my darling!

Oh, how beautiful!

Your eyes are doves.

She

16 How handsome you are, my beloved!
Oh, how charming!

And our bed is verdant.