God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love – not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. We love each other because he loved us first. – 1 John 4:9-11, 16b-17a, 18a, 19 NLT
Valentine Day is a day to celebrate love, but in actuality it draws different emotions from different people depending on their circumstances. Some welcome and celebrate the day because they are very much in love with their spouse, fiance, or boyfriend/girlfriend. But, for the widowed, divorced, or the one who longs to be married but has never found that right person, Valentine Day may bring emotions of dread and feelings of loss and loneliness.
What is this love we celebrate? As Americans we love everything from pizza to football and music to nature. But what is love really? Is there a gold standard, so to speak, for love?
In the leading scripture, the Apostle John teaches us about true love which is the love of our Heavenly Father God. John explains this different kind of love, an everlasting love, a love that is willing to sacrifice the most prized possession to make a way for us to live with Him forever. If you remember, it is John who called himself the disciple whom Jesus loved. So, when John speaks to us about the love of God and His Son, he is speaking from within his heart as one who deeply experienced this love.
God’s love for us is the gold standard of love. He will never leave us or forsake us. He is always faithful. His love is pure, and it is forever. God loves us even when we don’t deserve His love. He always has our best in mind. When we’ve done wrong and ask for His forgiveness, God not only forgives us, but He forgets the wrong. God is patient with us. He gives us good gifts. And God loves us enough to discipline us, to develop our character into the image of Christ, and to guide us in the way we should go. Once we have seen and experienced God’s true love, we cannot help but to love Him in return. As John wrote, we love because He loved us first.
For all of these reasons and more, God is our best and forever Valentine. No matter what our circumstance, we all have a very special and perfect Valentine. God. He is our forever Valentine. Fall into His arms and find rest and peace today.
