A VALENTINE BEYOND COMPARE
And I pray that you, being rooted
and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the
love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness
of God (Eph. 3:17-19, NIV).
What images does Valentine’s Day conjure up in your mind? Many
of us think of boxes of chocolate candy, red roses in a tall vase overflowing with baby’s breath, pink and red hearts
and romantic loves notes from our sweetheart. For Christians, though, the meaning
of Valentine’s Day goes much deeper. We remember the cross, and Christ’s
coming to earth to die a horrendous death to pay the penalty for our sins. Although
sometimes over-quoted, John 3:16 says it all.
The love this world has to offer is a shallow, impersonal, temporary kind of love, often based on looks, health, wealth
and/or success. When those things fade, it’s over, as the prodigal son
discovered (Luke 15). God’s love, on the other hand, is rich and deep,
vast and eternal. It does not fade over time, and lasts forever. Psalms 103:11 says, “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those
who fear Him.” The Bible says “…God is love,” (I Jn.
4:8) and “we love because He first loved us” (I Jn. 4:19).
If
we compare ourselves to others, especially healthy people, we will always come up short.
However, if we keep our focus on Christ and meditate daily on how much He loves us, then we can be joyful despite our
circumstances, as God commands (I Thess. 5:16). The good news is that God loves
us just the way we are! We don’t have to do anything to make Him love us
more than He already does. So this Valentine’s Day, remember that you are
very special to God! Jesus Christ’s coming to earth and dying on the cross
is the best Valentine we could ever receive. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Dear Father: Thank You for the gift of your Precious Son! Help us, Lord,
to rest in Your perfect love for us.
