There he was, a president of a College and Seminary, a well known man, a highly respected man, and one revered by many students and faculty members. Yet he stood at a crossroad in his life. His wife was sick and as she grew worse in her condition he opted to retire early to spend his days taking care of her in her sickeness.
Dr. Robert McQuilkin's wife, Muriel, had been diagnosed with Alzheimers disease. As her memory began to fade she would sometimes leave her home and walk barefoot down the road to simply reach Robert at work. The walk would leave her feet bloody at times.
Dr. McQuilkins's friends urged him to have her placed in a nursing home so he could finish his last eight years and have the needed time in to retire. But he refused. As he stated," Would anyone love her at all there, let alone love her as I do?"
She could not speak in sentences, only words. But she did repeat and say "I love you" to Robert often. After he retired to take care of her full time she continued to decline to where she could not speak. Yet Robert could still see her actions of love. She was content and bubbly with him in the home. He shared in his story saying:
"She still seemd to have affection for me." Robert even added that "I have a home full of love and laughter; many couples with their wits about them don't have that! Muriel is very lovable--more dear to me now than ever. What more could I ask? When she reaches out to me in the night hours or smiles contentedly and lovingly as she awakes, I thank the Lord for his grace to us and ask him to let me keep her."
Someone once asked, "how do you know that God is really powerful." The man replied: "Because he loves me and has broken the power of sin in my life. Sin is the most powerful force I know of on earth except for the power of God's love. If he can overcome my sin and love me then no doubt that God is powerful."
The greatest word throughout the OT and NT is the word of love. The greatest act in every scene of the Bible is love. God's very incarnation to come to this earth is an act of love. Christ's life, death, and resurrection is one story about ultimate love where Christ loves the unlovable.
In thinking about ths story of Muriel we can learn so much. She was still showing love to Robert even when she could not speak a word. In most cases, probably more than we like to admit, we show our love either by action or inaction more so than through words. Words are important, but love runs so much deeper than simply with words.
The importance of having love and giving love is astronomically vital to a healthy life. Dr. John Townsend has correctly said: "In every relationship there is nothing more important than Loving People." He even goes further by saying: "Love is our highest endeavor." "The reality is love does change things, more than any one force in the universe." Unhealthy people, unbalanced people, and immature people do not love well.
Dr. Martin Luther made these comments about God's love that challenge us all. He said:
"Choosing a couple of people who are pleasing to you, who do what you want, and then being friendly to those people is a long way from love. That is a soiled love that does not come from a pure heart. It is nothing more than dirt. For love that flows from a pure heart thinks this way: 'God has commanded me to direct my love to my neighbor. My heavenly Father wants me to be favorable to everyone, whether friends or enemies, just as he is. He lets the sun rise and shine on both good and evil people.' God shows goodness to those who continually dishonor him and misuse what he has provided through their disobedience, blasphemy, sin, and shameful behavior. . . . Why does he do this? He does it out of genuine, pure love. His heart is full and overflowing with love. He pours his love over everyone, leaving no one out, whether good or bad, worthy or unworthy. This love is righteous, godly, whole, and complete . . . . He freely gives his love to all."
The text in 1 Cor. 13:1-8 is enough to keep us busy all of our life. We will forever be growing in our ability to love and be loved. Yet this is the most urgent and greatest need in our life.
The greatest leaders, the greatest men, the greatest husbands, the greatest fathers, the greatest elders, the greatest civil leaders, the greatest wives, the greatest children, and the greatest families are those that master the art of loving others as God has loved us. It is the greatest command of Scripture. The NT even brought a higher law of love than ever before given throughout the history of mankind. As Jesus stated, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34-35).
May we strive to that end and may we all make that our highest goal in every conversation, in every relationship, and in every endeavor of life.
Dr. Allen
PS. If you want a life changing book, one that will do great things in showing the art of how to love and be loved, I suggest you buy and read several times the book: "Loving People: How to Love and Be Loved" by Dr. John Townsend. His precision in teaching this subject from a solid biblical point of view is a radically life changing piece of literature. This book has done great things in training people how to love and be loved, more so than most any other book I know of to date (except of course the Bible which surpasses all). It is amazing how much we need to learn in how to be loved as much as about how to love. One last quote from the book:
"Our lives are evaluated by how much--or how little--we love. Our qaulity of life and even the number of our days are affected by love. In fact, it is only to the extent that we love well and deeply that we are truly alive."
Dr. Robert McQuilkin's wife, Muriel, had been diagnosed with Alzheimers disease. As her memory began to fade she would sometimes leave her home and walk barefoot down the road to simply reach Robert at work. The walk would leave her feet bloody at times.
Dr. McQuilkins's friends urged him to have her placed in a nursing home so he could finish his last eight years and have the needed time in to retire. But he refused. As he stated," Would anyone love her at all there, let alone love her as I do?"
She could not speak in sentences, only words. But she did repeat and say "I love you" to Robert often. After he retired to take care of her full time she continued to decline to where she could not speak. Yet Robert could still see her actions of love. She was content and bubbly with him in the home. He shared in his story saying:
"She still seemd to have affection for me." Robert even added that "I have a home full of love and laughter; many couples with their wits about them don't have that! Muriel is very lovable--more dear to me now than ever. What more could I ask? When she reaches out to me in the night hours or smiles contentedly and lovingly as she awakes, I thank the Lord for his grace to us and ask him to let me keep her."
Someone once asked, "how do you know that God is really powerful." The man replied: "Because he loves me and has broken the power of sin in my life. Sin is the most powerful force I know of on earth except for the power of God's love. If he can overcome my sin and love me then no doubt that God is powerful."
The greatest word throughout the OT and NT is the word of love. The greatest act in every scene of the Bible is love. God's very incarnation to come to this earth is an act of love. Christ's life, death, and resurrection is one story about ultimate love where Christ loves the unlovable.
In thinking about ths story of Muriel we can learn so much. She was still showing love to Robert even when she could not speak a word. In most cases, probably more than we like to admit, we show our love either by action or inaction more so than through words. Words are important, but love runs so much deeper than simply with words.
The importance of having love and giving love is astronomically vital to a healthy life. Dr. John Townsend has correctly said: "In every relationship there is nothing more important than Loving People." He even goes further by saying: "Love is our highest endeavor." "The reality is love does change things, more than any one force in the universe." Unhealthy people, unbalanced people, and immature people do not love well.
Dr. Martin Luther made these comments about God's love that challenge us all. He said:
"Choosing a couple of people who are pleasing to you, who do what you want, and then being friendly to those people is a long way from love. That is a soiled love that does not come from a pure heart. It is nothing more than dirt. For love that flows from a pure heart thinks this way: 'God has commanded me to direct my love to my neighbor. My heavenly Father wants me to be favorable to everyone, whether friends or enemies, just as he is. He lets the sun rise and shine on both good and evil people.' God shows goodness to those who continually dishonor him and misuse what he has provided through their disobedience, blasphemy, sin, and shameful behavior. . . . Why does he do this? He does it out of genuine, pure love. His heart is full and overflowing with love. He pours his love over everyone, leaving no one out, whether good or bad, worthy or unworthy. This love is righteous, godly, whole, and complete . . . . He freely gives his love to all."
The text in 1 Cor. 13:1-8 is enough to keep us busy all of our life. We will forever be growing in our ability to love and be loved. Yet this is the most urgent and greatest need in our life.
The greatest leaders, the greatest men, the greatest husbands, the greatest fathers, the greatest elders, the greatest civil leaders, the greatest wives, the greatest children, and the greatest families are those that master the art of loving others as God has loved us. It is the greatest command of Scripture. The NT even brought a higher law of love than ever before given throughout the history of mankind. As Jesus stated, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34-35).
May we strive to that end and may we all make that our highest goal in every conversation, in every relationship, and in every endeavor of life.
Dr. Allen
PS. If you want a life changing book, one that will do great things in showing the art of how to love and be loved, I suggest you buy and read several times the book: "Loving People: How to Love and Be Loved" by Dr. John Townsend. His precision in teaching this subject from a solid biblical point of view is a radically life changing piece of literature. This book has done great things in training people how to love and be loved, more so than most any other book I know of to date (except of course the Bible which surpasses all). It is amazing how much we need to learn in how to be loved as much as about how to love. One last quote from the book:
"Our lives are evaluated by how much--or how little--we love. Our qaulity of life and even the number of our days are affected by love. In fact, it is only to the extent that we love well and deeply that we are truly alive."
