Happy Valentine's Day

I've been thinking about valentines. Years ago our great-grandparents went to a lot of work to make a valentine. Ready made valentines were not available in any store like they are today. They would gather bits of lace and ribbon to decorate the valentine. They would work meticulously to be sure the writing was not only legible but attractive. Red hearts and angels were common themes. Some would use a paintbrush others a pencil, and some pen and ink. They would think about the words they wanted to share with the one they loved. A poem or catchy phrase that would express their feelings in just the right way. Sometimes they would find a picture of a romantic scene or a pretty flower that they could glue onto the valentine. The recipient of such a valentine would know that the giver had put a lot of thought and work into the valentine card. Sometimes a bouquet of flowers would accompany the card. Finding flowers in February would not be easy. It would require some sacrifice. Crocus and Daffodils, maybe some Queen Anne's lace or a Pansy might be found. Another popular gift would be candy. There again that would have been hard to find and expensive to buy. Some homemade fudge would be the choice of some. I would require buying the ingredients and cooking them, watching closely for the different stages it must go through to become that wonderful confection. So giving your loved one a valentine was not to be regarded lightly. 

Think about the ultimate Valentine that was given to us by our Heavenly Father.

"For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
God had an elaborate plan that would require the greatest sacrifice of all. Only the shed blood of aperfect man would be able to cover the sins of the world. Finding a perfect man was impossible. So God caused a virgin to birth His only begotten Son who was conceived by the Holy Spirit. The Father would sacrifice His Son, the Son would sacrifice His very life. God the Father knew all the ingredients necessary to provide us with that perfect 'valentine'. 
God has made all things beautiful. (Eccl.3:11) More beautiful than the lovely valentines with their lace and hearts. He watches over his people through all the stages they go through from sinner to baby Christian to mature believer. Loving us through it all.

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom.5:8)

Jesus didn't just die for us, He conquered death and the grave. He is alive and sitting at the right hand of the Father, waiting for the right time to bring us home to heaven. 
"Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord." (1 Thess. 4:17) 
"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!... Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."(I John 3:1-2)

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, 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 propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." (I John 4:7-11) 


God the Father loves you with an everlasting love.