We can’t it alone. If God was enough for Adam then He wouldn’t have said in Genesis 2:18, “It’s not good that man should be alone.” Before Eve was created, Adam was busy working in the Garden of Eden. Part of his work included naming all of the animals. Adam was busy giving love. But besides needing to give love, Adam needed to receive love - not only from God but from a partner.

Many of us are good at giving love but what about receiving love? Are we really taking the time to slow down to not be physically present but emotionally present with our spouses each day? No matter how busy life gets with work, kids and other stuff finding that time to just be with our spouses is one way to grow in our love for each other.

For example, too many couples grow old together but find that they are actually growing apart. The wife desperately wants a connection with her husband. But, the husband is emotionally absent and often retreats from deeper conversation or connection. He can do things for her or give things to her but receiving love is just too hard.

When we violate the life principle of inflow/outflow, the connection between two people just seems to get stale. God gives us the hope that as we spend time with Him and allow Him to love us, we discover that the love we’re experiencing from God automatically flows out from us to our spouses. It’s a basic life principle - inflow/outflow.