Ah, Valentines Day is fast approaching.  What comes to mind when you think of Valentines Day?  Maybe heart-shaped boxes and candy?  Maybe “be my Valentine” cards?  Maybe, but most likely- love!  A common basic need of mankind is to love and be loved.  Many great movies or plays were written about love - Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare, “O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?”; Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen; The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks; Cleopatra and Mark Anthony - just to name a few.

There are many love stories (non-fiction) in the Bible as well, just to name a few - Adam and Eve; Isaac and Rebecca; Abram and Sarai; Ruth and Boaz; Samson and Delilah; David and Bathsheba; Hosea and Gomer; Song of Solomon, “my beloved is mine, and I am his.”

Actually, the Bible as a whole is God’s love letter to mankind.  You may or may not like love stories, but you are written into the greatest love story ever told, “For God so loved the world (you!) that He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus), that whoever (you!) believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life!” (John 3:16) -  No one loves you like Jesus!

Although the depths of love is difficult to explain, and love is abused, distorted and misrepresented in our society, love is given and received - it is the act of the will, not just feelings.  Feeling and emotions come and go, but true love lasts forever.  God’s love for you lasts forever.  He loves you even at your worst - “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (you!)”  (Romans 5:8)

The older I get (now 62!) and the more loved ones, family and friends pass away, the more I appreciate the love that Jesus has for me, for you, and all of mankind.

God has initiated His love for you and me, but we must respond, He gave us the free will to receive or reject His love.  But, “as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become the children of God, to those who believe in His name.” - John 1:12

“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!  I once was lost but now am found, was blind but not I see.” - Amazing Grace, John Newton

Call upon the name of Jesus, call upon Jehovah Tsidkenu - The Lord our Righteousness!

Jesus loves you - Happy Valentines Day!

Pastor Rodney