In her heartfelt devotional Center of the Heart , Marilyn Collier masterfully captures the delicate balance between human love and divine love—particularly through her intimate reflections on her relationship with her husband, Bill. She writes not just about romance or affection, but about the kind of love that is enduring, selfless, and deeply rooted in commitment.
Collier speaks of Bill as a man who provides, protects, and comforts her—a husband who loves her like a precious treasure. But then, she takes her love even deeper: “If Bill could not do those things, I would still love him. He is still my sweetheart, and I would just want to be near him.” That line, simple yet profound, highlights the essence of true love—not based on what someone does for us, but on who they are to us.
It’s this same concept that she then ties into our relationship with God. We cannot provide for God. We cannot protect or comfort Him. He doesn’t need anything from us—and yet, He loves us. That’s the most humbling truth of all. God, in His perfection and completeness, created us not out of necessity, but for fellowship. He wants us. He delights in us.
This kind of love—unconditional, sacrificial, and eternal—is so foreign to our human experiences that we struggle to believe it’s true. We fear we’re unworthy. We know we fall short. Collier confronts this reality gently but clearly: We cannot live up to God’s standards. And that is precisely why He sent Jesus.
In Center of the Heart, Collier reminds us that Jesus fulfilled every requirement of righteousness. He did what we could never do. And by offering His righteousness to us, Jesus opened the door to unconditional acceptance. Through Him, we are free—free to be in loving fellowship with God, free to live without shame, and free to love others without fear.
This freedom is not theoretical—it’s practical. Collier ends this particular devotion with two soul-searching questions:
What is one thing you could do to draw closer to God today?
Who needs unconditional love from you?
These questions anchor her message in daily life. Because love is not just something we receive—it’s something we give. And true freedom in Christ is not the absence of boundaries, but the presence of love in all we do.
Hebrews 10:14–18, the passage Collier directs readers to, speaks of the completeness of Christ’s sacrifice. “For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” It is not our effort, but Christ’s finished work, that allows us to rest in the arms of a God who loves us beyond condition or limitation.
In a world where relationships often depend on performance, and love can feel like a transaction, Marilyn Collier offers a powerful counter-narrative. Her devotion reflects the kind of steadfast, immovable love that gives us both identity and peace. Whether through the tenderness of a husband’s touch or the eternal embrace of our Savior, Center of the Heart reminds us: We are treasured. We are free. We are loved.
