Roses on Tuesday
Olivia would never have appreciated it if I had spent time with her because I felt like I was supposed to or because I felt guilty if I didn’t. She would not have valued me doing extravagant things for her if it was out of a sense of duty or guilt. She wanted me to delight in her and to spend time with her because I wanted to, not because I had to. She used to love it when I would give her roses on Tuesday. It was one thing for me to do something for her on her birthday, or for Christmas, anniversary, or Valentine’s Day because that was expected. What she loved were roses on Tuesday, because when I gave her roses on Tuesday, it was not out of obligation, but out of desire from my heart. Therefore I occasionally bought her roses on Tuesday because I knew that she would see that as an extravagant expression of true love.
I believe that the Lord does not delight when we spend time with Him or obey him out of the sense of duty and obligation. He doesn’t want me to spend time with him in prayer because I feel guilty if I don’t. What He wants is for His grace toward us to provoke in us the desire to be with Him because of passion, and He wants our obedience to be extravagant acts of affection in response to who He is and His love for us. 1 John 4:19 says, “We love because He first loved us.” Holiness out of guilt and fear brings no pleasure to the Lover of our souls. He wants us to live set-apart lives as a response to Him winning our hearts. The lovesick bridegroom longs to have a lovesick bride who lives with excessive affection for Him. Jesus loves it when we give Him roses on Tuesday.