A Love Story

Priscilla and Aquila
“Greet Priscilla and Aquila…they risked their lives for me.”
Ro 16:3

Priscilla and Aquila could have made a comfortable home in the city of Corinth and supported themselves through tent making. But things changed completely when they met Paul.

They were aliens in this Grecian town and might have found it difficult to adjust to the new city. They might have been overtaken by homesickness for the sunny Italy where they had grown up. But being so young, they were hopeful about carving a niche for themselves in this booming metropolis where people came from all over to trade and to do sightseeing. Life wasn’t all that hopeless, really.

“We will work hard and maybe someday we can build ourselves a house and raise a large family,” Aquila said to his wife tenderly.

“I am beginning to like this place. The weather is pretty good and people are nice. Not a bad place to make a home,” replied Priscilla, her brown eyes gleaming with hope and joy as she looked toward their future. For a young couple fortified by their passionate love for each other, nothing was too hard to conquer.

Then a fellow Jew appeared in their lives that made all the difference. Through Paul’s message, the couple’s lives were transformed and their aspirations for their future changed completely as well.

“How about building a home in Corinth?” “How about starting a family?” they asked themselves. Did they ever go through any struggles easing out their old life and entering into the new? Perhaps. But it was a lot easier for them to start off their new life when two hearts which were once united in romantic love were now becoming one in their love for Christ. Aquila couldn’t have done this alone, neither could have Priscilla. It’s such a beautiful thing to see when a couple is united in their love and service for Christ.

It is awfully difficult for a servant of God to fly solo in his spiritual journey. Paul was one of those rare breeds who could do it, and do it so gracefully. I don’t think many people have the ability to do what the apostle did. With special endowment from the Lord, Paul was able to accomplish great things that ordinarily would have required two people to achieve. I would have been overcome by loneliness and vexed by self-pity had I been called to do what Paul did alone.

Marriage, although it has made me strong in many ways, also has made me timid. Having children is one of the greatest blessings in life, but it may also take away your courage and romantic spirit and make you too pragmatic to make any attempt to venture into the unknown for the sake of the kingdom.

Priscilla and Aquila might not have had such a problem, though. They didn’t seem to have any worries for their children, if they had any, and with hearts fortified by their love for Christ and for each other they risked their lives for Paul and for the church. Theirs was truly a great romance, but is rarely mentioned as a love story as we understand it. With the love of the Lord in their marriage, their love for each other was transcended and superceded by love for Him, which made it so much more beautiful than what it was.