Jen’s Gem: Nothing can separate us from the love of God. Nothing.
February 14, 2021. Valentine’s Day. A day set apart for us to focus on love of family, friends, children, and spouses. Stores are chock full of flowers and candy. Grand gestures will be made today so that those in our lives will know how much we love them. It’s important, yes?
“Love makes the world go ‘round.”
“What the world needs now is love, sweet love.”
“I will always love you.”
I don’t know how many songs are written about love but I’d wager that it’s a lot. Belted out by some of the world’s greatest singers, these tunes serve as a reminder that we all want someone to love us “just the way we are.” We want those close to us to accept our little peccadillos, even cherish them as endearing. We want to feel appreciated and valued to another human being.
There’s only one reason any of us even know how to love. It’s because God loved us first. (1 John 4:19 NKJV) We were created out of the abundance of His love. Picture how you feel when you look at a newborn baby or when your child has a major achievement. Your heart wants to pop, right? That’s how God feels about us. Hard to imagine, but it’s true.
“And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17 NKJV)
I recall many years ago when I would pick up my children from daycare. After a tough day’s work, they’d throw their little arms around me, bury their sweet heads in my neck, and kiss my cheeks. It was the absolute best moment of my day. I might’ve been beaten up on the job that day, but my kids “made the world go away” and reminded me that I was loved.
It was their love that got me through a divorce. It was their love that got me out of bed each day to go to work to support them. It was their love and the hand of God that saved my life one dark day years ago. Because of what God did that day through them for me, my life has never been the same.
“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35-39 NKJV)
Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God. Nothing. On our best days God loves us. On our very worst days God loves us. When He looks down at us from heaven, His heart does that bursting thing. When we wake up, He is excited to see us and be with us throughout our day. He can’t wait to talk with us and hear us talking back. He is genuinely interested in everything we do.
In today’s crazy world, we need to remember this. We need to remember how much our Father in heaven loves us. His only desire is for us to love Him back. God wants to be your Valentine. You don’t have to get Him any candy or flowers, you just have to love Him back and love others.
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35 NKJV)
That’s why He sent His only Son to earth so that we could get a first-hand account of what love looks like. Everyone wants to know who God is, what He’s like, how does He think. The answer is so simple. Look at His Son, Jesus.
How often do we say things like “Oh, my daughter gets that from her father or their son takes after his mother.” We look at the traits or characteristics of a child and see the connection to the parents. Well, the same goes for Jesus. If you look at Jesus, you’re seeing God.
I’m privileged and beyond grateful that Jesus is my Valentine. No one will ever accept and value me more than He does. No one will ever do more for me than He did. No one will ever love me as much as He does. And not just on February 14th, 2021, but every day.
Today God is asking you a simple question: “Will you be my Valentine?” Your response will change your life.
“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’ (Numbers 6:24-26 NKJV)
Happy Valentine’s Day!