No Greater Love
As you look around in stores, on television, at restaurants, and even in our email inboxes, promotions for Valentine’s Day are all around. If you’re not careful, you can begin to feel like you’re missing out if you aren’t partaking in the celebration. Sure, there are various ways to show the superficial love that Valentine's Day often promotes, but thankfully, there is much more to love than that.
When I think about Valentine’s Day and the fact that it's supposed to be a "love holiday", I realize that the root of Valentine’s Day is not really rooted in something to affirm self-worth, strength, or anchor you in what Love really is - where I really came from. The Bible tells us that there is no greater love than one that will lay down his life for a friend. (John 15:13) The Bible tells us that God is love. (1 John 4:8, 16) The Bible also does a great job of informing us of what the characteristics of what love are. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) When we think about it, our heavenly father demonstrates his love to us day in and day out over and over and over again, despite what we may do in return. (Lamentations 3:22-23) As imperfect beings, we are capable of honoring God's love with with obedience one day, and disobedience the next; yet He continues to show up for us, His children. God remains true to his nature; He is not a man that He should lie. (Numbers 23:19) He continues to be a faithful Father. God continues to to show us that we are not only loved, but we were chosen by God. (Ephesians 1:4-5) Because He chose us, nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Nothing. (Romans 8:38-39) It may be challenging to comprehend, but it’s still true. God loves us that much.
The book of Matthew tells us of Jesus' character and how he taught the people of His day through parables. As Jesus told the people not to worry about everyday life (Matthew 6:25), He also reminds those listening to Him of how our heavenly Father cares for and provides for the birds in the sky, giving them everything they need. Jesus reminds us how much we are loved and cared for by saying (in reference to the birds), "They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And you far more valuable to him then they are?" (Matthew 6:26) Jesus further explains to us that if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you." If you weren't sure before, please understand...there is no greater love than Gods love for His children!
I challenge you this year for those of you who may want to celebrate Valentine’s Day in the traditional way - with flowers, candy, a boyfriend or girlfriend - go deeper and remember what Love really is. I challenge you to think about the ways in which God has shown His love to you in your lifetime. I challenge you to remember the ultimate sacrifice that was given, which was Jesus Christ dying on the cross for our sins. That was a gift of love from our Father. (John 3:16) God knew that we would never be able to save ourselves from the sinful circumstances that we create. He knew that without Jesus, we would continue living destitute lives in a destitute world; He didn’t want us to remain that way. He displayed the greatest love there is by creating a way for us to spend eternity with Him. That way was Jesus. We should always be grateful for that. We should always be thankful for that. We should take every opportunity that we have to think about God, and reflect on his love. We should do all that we can to anchor ourselves, not allowing our minds to be swayed one way or another by what we see in this World or hear from those who don't believe.
Flowers, cards, and candy will never equate to the love that God gave us, when he gave us his son. Thank you, Father, for loving me so.
References
Biblica, Inc. (1984, 2011). The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Harper Collins Publishers.
Tyndale House Foundation. (1996, 2004, 2015). Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Carol Stream, Illinois. All rights reserved.: Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.
When I think about Valentine’s Day and the fact that it's supposed to be a "love holiday", I realize that the root of Valentine’s Day is not really rooted in something to affirm self-worth, strength, or anchor you in what Love really is - where I really came from. The Bible tells us that there is no greater love than one that will lay down his life for a friend. (John 15:13) The Bible tells us that God is love. (1 John 4:8, 16) The Bible also does a great job of informing us of what the characteristics of what love are. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) When we think about it, our heavenly father demonstrates his love to us day in and day out over and over and over again, despite what we may do in return. (Lamentations 3:22-23) As imperfect beings, we are capable of honoring God's love with with obedience one day, and disobedience the next; yet He continues to show up for us, His children. God remains true to his nature; He is not a man that He should lie. (Numbers 23:19) He continues to be a faithful Father. God continues to to show us that we are not only loved, but we were chosen by God. (Ephesians 1:4-5) Because He chose us, nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Nothing. (Romans 8:38-39) It may be challenging to comprehend, but it’s still true. God loves us that much.
The book of Matthew tells us of Jesus' character and how he taught the people of His day through parables. As Jesus told the people not to worry about everyday life (Matthew 6:25), He also reminds those listening to Him of how our heavenly Father cares for and provides for the birds in the sky, giving them everything they need. Jesus reminds us how much we are loved and cared for by saying (in reference to the birds), "They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And you far more valuable to him then they are?" (Matthew 6:26) Jesus further explains to us that if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you." If you weren't sure before, please understand...there is no greater love than Gods love for His children!
I challenge you this year for those of you who may want to celebrate Valentine’s Day in the traditional way - with flowers, candy, a boyfriend or girlfriend - go deeper and remember what Love really is. I challenge you to think about the ways in which God has shown His love to you in your lifetime. I challenge you to remember the ultimate sacrifice that was given, which was Jesus Christ dying on the cross for our sins. That was a gift of love from our Father. (John 3:16) God knew that we would never be able to save ourselves from the sinful circumstances that we create. He knew that without Jesus, we would continue living destitute lives in a destitute world; He didn’t want us to remain that way. He displayed the greatest love there is by creating a way for us to spend eternity with Him. That way was Jesus. We should always be grateful for that. We should always be thankful for that. We should take every opportunity that we have to think about God, and reflect on his love. We should do all that we can to anchor ourselves, not allowing our minds to be swayed one way or another by what we see in this World or hear from those who don't believe.
Flowers, cards, and candy will never equate to the love that God gave us, when he gave us his son. Thank you, Father, for loving me so.
References
Biblica, Inc. (1984, 2011). The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Harper Collins Publishers.
Tyndale House Foundation. (1996, 2004, 2015). Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Carol Stream, Illinois. All rights reserved.: Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.
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