Felicity Banks

God’s Love Language

October 8, 2010 at 2:14 pm (Uncategorized)

Most of you have probably heard of the book “The Five Love Languages”. The theory is that everyone tends toward different ways of both expressing and understanding love. When we’re first in love, we express love in all the ways, but later on we settle into our predominant form of expression – which sometimes means absolutely nothing (or worse) to our partner.

The five love languages are:

1. Quality time.

2. Acts of service (eg doing the dishes when it’s her turn).

3. Touch.

4. Words of affirmation.

5.  Gifts.

On a level beyond rationality, I feel rejected by God because I’ve offered him my life in service (as a missionary to Indonesia), and he has said, “Hmm. Nah – I don’t want that, thanks.” But even I can see that he has given me astonishing gifts – living in the Western world in safety, comfort and wealth (not compared to the average Westerner, but SO much more than the average human being). So the obvious thing for me to do is let God love me in the way he chooses – that is his right, after all.

And of course, the gift of Jesus Christ.

I think we go through a lot of pain because of our false expectations – both on other humans, and on God.

And here’s a pretty picture of some kangaroo paw, in memory of the plant (now deceased) that CJ gave me last Christmas.