Gods at War: gods of love

Gods at War: gods of love

Genesis 29

Pastor Miles

September 26, 2014

Limerence. Psychologist Dorothy Tennov coined the term limerence in the 1970s. It refers to the phenomenon of falling madly, passionately in love, including what happens chemically in the body. Have you ever been "lovesick"?

Limerence describes a powerful emotional attachment that comes over a person who is powerfully attracted to some other person.

- Kyle Idleman. Gods At War.

1. Romantic love can confusing.

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (‭Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭27‬ NIV)

Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, "I'll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel." (‭Genesis‬ ‭29‬:‭16-18‬ NIV)

So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. (‭Genesis‬ ‭29‬:‭20‬ NIV)

- romantic love can be intoxicating

So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her.

...

When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn't I? Why have you deceived me?" (‭Genesis‬ ‭29‬:‭22-23, 25‬ NIV)

2. When we look to someone other can God to complete us and define our identity, it's idolatry.

Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, "It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now." She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too." So she named him Simeon. Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." So he was named Levi. (‭Genesis‬ ‭29‬:‭32-34‬ NIV)

With each son she has, Leah thinks maybe now her husband will love her. Maybe now he will be attached to her. But with each child she is left disappointed. For years Leah puts her hope in romantic love, but she continues to feel the pain of rejection and loneliness.

- Kyle Idleman. Gods At War.

3. The idols in your heart are defeated, not by removing them, but by replacing them.

She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "This time I will praise the Lord." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children. (‭Genesis‬ ‭29‬:‭35‬ NIV)

"This time I will praise the Lord." Leah is taking her husband off the throne of her heart and giving God his seat. This time she puts her hope not in her husband, but in the Lord. How many times has the god of love left you brokenhearted? Maybe this time you should praise the Lord.

- Kyle Idleman. Gods At War.

Only God can complete us through Jesus Christ. It is Him that we have our identify.

We are His child. 

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. (‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭13‬ NIV)

Lionel