Today is Valentine's Day. I nearly forgot. Valentine's Day doesn't bother me anymore, but it did in the past. On this day three years ago, my spouse walked out. Deliberately timed? I don't know, but I have my suspicions. Consequently, Valentine's Day and almost anything that had any sort of romantic overtones hurt for a while. I can't pinpoint when the hurt began to lessen and when the healing began, but it happened for which I praise God.
Human love is a blessing from God, whether it is between spouses, parent and child, among family and friends. But earthly love is limited and will end one day with death, even if other things do not mar it.
God's love is eternal and perfect. It does not diminish with time. His love is not given based on any worth in its recipients. It is not sentimental. As John Flavel puts it, "His love is judicious, not fond. He consults my good rather than my ease."
How was that love demonstrated?
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:6-11
In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:9-10
Human love is a blessing from God, whether it is between spouses, parent and child, among family and friends. But earthly love is limited and will end one day with death, even if other things do not mar it.
God's love is eternal and perfect. It does not diminish with time. His love is not given based on any worth in its recipients. It is not sentimental. As John Flavel puts it, "His love is judicious, not fond. He consults my good rather than my ease."
How was that love demonstrated?
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:6-11
In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:9-10
Here is love, vast as the ocean,
Lovingkindness as the flood,
When the Prince of Life, our Ransom,
Shed for us His precious blood.
Who His love will not remember?
Who can cease to sing His praise?
He can never be forgotten,
Throughout Heav’n’s eternal days.
William Rees (1802-1883)
Lovingkindness as the flood,
When the Prince of Life, our Ransom,
Shed for us His precious blood.
Who His love will not remember?
Who can cease to sing His praise?
He can never be forgotten,
Throughout Heav’n’s eternal days.
William Rees (1802-1883)
I was there once...when the sight of a red valentine heart almost made me ill. But God's love is never failing. He teaches us true love. Bless you, Pilgrim Mommy.
ReplyDeleteWhiteStone:
ReplyDeletePraise God that His love never fails. God bless you, too.
Is that verse by Willam Reese set to music somewhere? Seems to me I have heard that before.
ReplyDeleteKim:
ReplyDeleteYes. Here is the link at cyberhymnal:
http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/h/e/herelove.htm