I opened my mailbox and found an envelope from my nephew who was just 4 years old at the time. Inside was a Valentine that he had signed all by himself. My heart melted; I couldn’t believe he had thought of me. This small piece of paper totally made my day and made me feel loved.
Once again, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and love is in the air. February 14th is probably the biggest day of the year for giving and receiving cards, flowers and chocolates. These gifts are wonderful, but even greater than the gift is the love that motivates the giver and the love returned by the recipient. Everyone wants to be and needs to be loved.
Think about all of the people who have shown you love throughout your lifetime and all the people you have loved. As great as that love is, there is a love that is even greater.
Love comes from God, and his love is the purest, greatest, deepest love that we will ever experience. It is an unconditional love expressed not because we deserve it or because there is anything lovable about us. It’s a love that is given even if there is no love returned. It’s the love of a God who knew there was no other way to take away our sin and bring us back into a relationship with him than to die in our place.
Romans 5:8 explains,
“God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
I pray that as we celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, the eyes to our hearts will be open to understand how much God loves us, how much we need him and how urgent it is that we share his love with those who haven’t yet grasped it. For those of us who belong to Jesus, I pray that others would see his love through us as we allow him to fill us and transform us to be more and more like him.
Yes, love is in the air. Have you let God’s love into your heart? If so, then look for people who you can share that love with. There are people all around you who need to know that they are loved.
“We love because he first loved us.” ~John 4:19