Valentine’s Day is upon us – as if one could forget with all the heart-shaped candy and heart-shaped commercials and heart-shaped…air. But I’m burdened today for the one who desperately wants to forget that it’s the national day of love. Because the one I’ve been burdened for doesn’t feel treasured and would just assume skip ahead to February 15th for a clearance price on the good chocolate.
It’s you I’ve been thinking so much about.
Our hearts deceive and our culture is loud with its claims on love. Yet only One embodied the true definition of love – the kind of love that stands the test of time and doesn’t depend upon the other person.
His name is Jesus. He is love.
I know it’s tempting to base our value or our joy on what other humans say of us or how other humans feel about us. It’s in our nature to desire the accolades of a charmed audience. But living a life dependent upon the words and approval of others will drain us dry. Living a life desperately needing to be treasured by a watching world will never bring lasting peace. Because people change their minds and have bad days and were never meant to be our ultimate fulfillment.
I understand wanting to feel loved and treasured by someone we can touch and feel. I do. And that’s not a bad desire; it’s good and lovely and honorable and God-given…as long as we remember that another human can never fully satisfy the ache in our souls. Because the ache is for God.
These aren’t just fluffy words said to soothe Valentine’s Day woes. These are truth words meant to heal: God’s love can satisfy the craving of our soul.
If no one else says the actual words to you this Valentine’s Day, hear me say the words I’m preaching to my own soul. You, my friend, are a precious treasure to our Maker. You are seen. You are fully known. And you are fully and completely loved.
I pray this Valentine’s Day that God’s love would seep into the places of your soul that quietly ache for earthly love. And that it would satisfy in ways you didn’t even expect.
“For God so loved the world, he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life….”
I feel a little like it’s cheating to pick that verse, but it is THE verse that declares God’s love. And his redemptive plan for us. And our eternity with Him – the ultimate gift.
See also, Ephesians 1:3-14. 😉
Ahh yes. The core of God’s love and mercy on us — in spite of us, pursuing our hearts through the gift of salvation in Jesus. Much love to you Sarah. xoxo
I like what you wrote! Good words I will share with some of my children who are learning and living through their teen years!
Thanks, Marcia. The teen years can be such a difficult time. I have such a tender place in me for teens because I struggled so much in those years to find my identity. Praying for a revival to continue to take place in the hearts of young people as they rest in the favor of their God.
“He will not crush the weakest reed
or put out a flickering candle.
He will bring justice to all who have been
wronged.
He will not falter or lose heart
until justice prevails throughout the earth.”
-Isaiah 42
Amen.
The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace Numbers 6 :24-26
You are too awesome Lara 🙂 Thank you for your encouraging, well spoken and beautiful words. You’re email is truly the only one in my Inbox that I get excited to see everyday. You are such a blessing to so many. Keep the good work up and Happy Valentines Day (it was yesterday Australian time but better late than never 😉 As a single person and a born-again Christian I can see more love around me now than when I was in a relationship with a non-believer. God is love 🙂
So I am going to take her into the desert again; there I will win her back with words of love. I will give her back the vineyards she had and make Trouble Valley a door of hope. She will respond to me there as she did when she was young, when she came from Egypt. Then once again she will call me her husband.
Hosea 2:14-16
For an amazing read of God’s love try Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers.
God Bless