Valentine's Love

Valentine’s Day is another Hallmark holiday, but clearly its message is straight from God. “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” (Galatians 5:6). This is one of only several  times in scripture that only or one thing is written, so pay attention.

In 1 Thessalonians 1:3 Paul reminds us, “We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  James also reminds us that faith and action work together and that faith without works is dead. Yes, LOVE is an action word.

In the so-called “love chapter”, 1 Corinthians 13, love is defined in amazing detail. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 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…Now we see but a poor reflection, then we shall see face to face…And now these three remain, faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is love.”  I am reminded that this kind of love is not possible on our own, but only by and with the Holy Spirit within us. 

John admonishes us in 1 John 5:3, “This is love for God: by loving God and carrying out his commandments.”  And 1 John 4:16, “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. In this way love is made complete for the day of judgment.” This is a powerful and simple directive, but again, we can only do this by the power of the Holy Spirit. John continues in the next couple of verses to share all important help. “There is no fear in love, but perfect love castes (or drives out) fear. We love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:18-19).

Well there it is valiant Valentine visitors. What a challenge, and what a promise from God to us. Love is all that matters it seems to say. This is putting ourselves aside and loving our neighbor as ourselves. The Good Samaritan did, and so can we, with God’s help

Happy Valentine’s Day