My wife shared this video with me late last night as I was preparing for bed. She simply texted it to me with a message, “you need to watch this right now”. Selena doesn’t share much in the way of interesting or inspiration articles she finds on the web. So when she insisted I watch, I knew it must be very good. Turns out, she was right.
This short film is all about selfless devotion and love. While I had a hint of what to expect based on the title alone, there was an unexpected turn in the video that honestly made me tear up. I don’t want to give away the plot so I’ll leave it at that. Watch, then continue reading below if you’d like…
Blind Devotion
When most couples get married, their vows include a line something like this, “For richer and for poorer, in good times and bad, through sickness and health, until death do us part.” This line is good for everyone to say, but I don’t imagine most couples grasp its weight on the day they vow to uphold it. This video helps us feel and understand what it might be like to experience hardship and endure it for the sake of love.
In our marriage, Selena and I have had sickness and health, richness and poverty, many good times and many bad times. Somehow we’ve stuck together through it all. I say “somehow”, when I actually do know exactly how we miraculously stayed married… but I’ll get to that later.
- I nearly died in the hospital from a freak heart infection when we were 22 years old and less than 2 years married. I was bitter, weak, and angry. Selena stuck by my side.
- Selena and I quit our comfortable jobs and moved two states away for new opportunities. We had no money. Selena comforted me as I looked at our bank balance and wondered where our next rent check would come from.
- We’ve fought bitterly and loved tenderly. We’ve said words we both regret, and we’ve learned to express love neither of us ever imagined we’d feel.
The only source of devoted love
In the high moments it’s easy to see why you’re committed to each other. Life is awesome and you can easily envision more of it. In the low moments it’s hard to see your own hand in front of your face. When the darkness overwhelms us and our light has grown dim, our only hope for light–for vision–is for someone else to shine light in our dark space. There’s only one light that shines bright no matter what happens elsewhere: his name is Jesus.
Jesus is the only reason Selena and I are still together.
We were lost, he found us. We rejected him, he accepted us. We hurt him, he still loves us. We have nothing to offer him and in return he gives us everything. His love has shown us how to love, and just as importantly, Jesus’ love has given us enough love to give to each other–especially when it feels impossible. Jesus chose to die, he didn’t want to but he went to the cross regardless. Jesus has proven his love to me, and sometimes I need a reminder of what that might be like to display that sort of love for my wife.
Consider this:
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
(Eph 2:13)
We were far off, but Jesus brought us near. He patiently loves us, no matter how little we have to offer him in return. In fact, he loves us even though we have nothing to offer in return. You’ve probably heard that before, but take a moment to really let it sink in.
Imagine loving selflessly
What if your spouse had nothing to give you? What if you were looking ahead at the next 50+ years, being married to someone who can only take love and is unable to give it back? What if your spouse suffered an injury that changed your relationship forever? Could you do that? Jesus does that for us every day.
Videos like “Blind Devotion” remind us what it might be like to love each other through the lowest of moments in our lives and through the darkest circumstances. It’s never easy, but somehow Jesus gives us strength. I hope you’re encouraged by it, and reminded of the type of love that you’re aiming for in your marriage. And may you always remember Christ’s “blind devotion” to you as you learn to love your spouse more like he loves you.
Have you heard of the The 31-Day Pursuit Challenge?
Every marriage begins with passion, purpose, and pursuit, but few stay that way. That’s why we wrote Husband in Pursuit and Wife in Pursuit Together, they make what we’re calling the 31-Day Pursuit Challenge. Couples are encouraged take the challenge together. We’re already starting to hear stories of transformed marriages! Are you up for the challenge?
