God's Valentine

I thought it was interesting that Ash Wednesday and Valentine's Day are back to back this year.

Ash Wednesday, of course, marks more than just foreheads - it marks the beginning of Lent, which is the 40-day period (minus Sundays) that leads up to Easter. It's a time to consider our own mortality, and to focus on repentance and spiritual discipline as we meditate on the truth that Jesus died to save us from our sins and rose from the dead to offer us the gift of eternal life. Many people practice fasting or other forms of self-denial during this season as a way of honoring Christ's sacrifice and remembering that the Gospel message ought to change every part of our lives. The tradition dates back to the early church.

While St. Valentine's Day has become a day for couples to celebrate their love, this day also has roots in the early church. Originally, it was a day to remember a couple men who were so transformed by the Gospel that they were eventually martyred for their faith. People didn't start sending flowers and cards on this day until sometime in the Middle Ages.

Because these two holidays are so close together this year, I've been meditating on the fact that what Jesus endured on the cross was the ultimate example of God's love.

"God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins." - 1 John 4:9-10

The whole Bible is one big love story. It's the story of a God who loves his creation - he made us specifically for love! - but people turned their back on his love. Still, God loves us so much, he resolved never to give up on us. Over and over, he reaches out, trying to show us what love is, trying to welcome us back to a loving relationship.

The cross was God's answer. Since we were all lost in sin, and sin leads to death (Romans 3:23; 6:23), he would die in our place - paying the full price! - to show us the depth of his love...

A card I shared at church this week -
Notice "VALENTINE" spelled vertically in red!

    ...even though we don't deserve it and could never repay him...

    ...even though we might never fully grasp just how selfish and awful we've been...

    ...even though we might still somehow decide to reject him...

STILL, he loves us, and Jesus died so that grace, mercy and forgiveness would be there before we looked for them, so we could be welcomed back the second we turn to him!

We were so lost without him...

"But God proves his love for us 

in that while we still were sinners 

Christ died for us."

- Romans 5:8

The Bible is the story of God's love.

Today, I am blessed as I consider that what Jesus did on the cross - in a sense - was God's Valentine to us.

I love this song by Third Day that speaks from Jesus' perspective to us:

God's love didn't come cheap or easy. He paid the ultimate price to be with us! But his offer doesn't cost a thing. All you have to do is ask. All you have to do is receive.

I hope you will join me in praying that - throughout this season of Lent and always - we can learn more to offer grace, mercy, forgiveness and love to others just as freely as it was offered to us! May we be especially motivated to share the Good News about what Jesus has done, so that others can accept his Valentine, as well!

And I pray that if you're reading this, and you've never received Jesus' gift for yourself or it's been a while since you spent time with the Lord, you'll open your heart to him now. Seek out a pastor or another Christian who can answer any questions you have and pray with you today!

As one lady at my church loves to say all the time:

Remember,                    

God loves you...

                    ...and so do I!