Celebrating Love
Today is Valentines Day. I am not sure what to think. On the one hand, I love the idea of a day that we take time to acknowledge our love and friendship with others. That shouldn’t be confined to just one day. On the other hand, it is so commercialized that it is very hard to express genuine love without feeling like your hand is being forced by restaurants, card shops, gifts stores, flower shops, etc. It puts pressure on students as to who gets one and who doesn’t, whether everyone should get one, or if not, what if you are the one that doesn’t get anything. Not good for moral. For those dating, there is a pressure to have the perfect gift and go to the perfect place. Often, there is pressure to take the relationship further than it should go. Even married couples can feel pressured to do all the right things. There is a part of love that is a commitment or obedience. That doesn’t sound right when we say it, but Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey My commandments”. Love is a choice that is expressed in very conscious ways. Love, however, is not always tied up in such a nice bow. There are times of better or worse, richer or poorer, sickness and health, etc. Love is also a feeling and an expression of our hearts. My fear is that this holiday can force people to try to be and say things that are not from the heart. As we read in 1 Corinthians 13, “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.” The Apostle Paul goes on to say, “But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.” The things the church thought were so powerful and important will not last. So, what will? “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” The faith is needed to believe and trust in God. The hope is being certain of what the future holds and who holds that future. Yet, even greater than those, is love, which binds everything together perfectly. Don’t save the celebration of that love for one day. Live each day treasuring the precious love that you have. Father, Thank You for Your great love for us. Help us to be obedient and to serve You in love and devotion. Amen