Love! Love! Love!

Today, the actual day I am writing this, is February 1st, the beginning of what I consider the "month of love."

I love the month of February for several reasons:

it means winter is that much closer to ending
it's the month of my birthday

it's the month of Valentine's Day

 it's the month of hearts

and every one knows how much I love hearts!!

 

 

and it's the perfect month to express the love of Christ to others!

 

"For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another."

1 John 3:11

 

"...let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth."

1 John 3:18

 

When we think of Valentine's Day, obviously our first thoughts are of romantic love, the love between a man and a woman.  We think of couples, romance, candlelight dinners, flowers, chocolates, hearts, chocolate hearts, a romantic date, even sexy lingerie. 

This is the world's concept of love. 

Romantic love, within God's plan, is right and good.

 

But Scripture speaks to us of a greater love, a deeper love.  It speaks of the love of a Father who spared not His own Son to draw us onto Himself.

 

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

John 3:16

 

"Greather love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

John 15:13

  

Love, true Biblical love, as expressed by our Father, was born in His heart.  His love is pure, unconditional, uncondemning, always forgiving and not based on the whim of the human heart.  God's love is inclusive - leaves no one out regardless of marital status!

I still send Valentine cards!! Mostly, I send them to single women that I know who do not have that romantic love in their lives. I use the celebration of this day to express God's love to the hearts of those who may feel "left out" of the couples celebration that Valentine's Day is.

 

I Corinthians 13:4-8b says:

 

"Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails."

 

I fall so short of this definition of love.  I am not always patient.  I am not always kind.  I do get angry.  I don't always trust.  My love fails.  My love can be conditional.  My love has limits that I am not proud of. 

 

But God's love extended to me...extended to you....is perfect and never fails!

 

Oh, how thankful I am for the love of God!

 

"God is always good and I am always loved."

 

Share God's love with others during this "month of love."