by Michelle Nalley The "Season of Love" is upon us. It has been staring me in the face every time I've walked into a store since right after Christmas! Valentine's Day. It’s a day that I normally dread as a single person. Now I'll be completely honest, I normally mask the dread by saying things like, "We should be showing love all year not just on one day." While that is true, it is just my cynicism saying that. At times, I’ll say something like, "Valentine's Day is just another holiday for florists, chocolate companies, and Hallmark to make more money." Again, to an extent that's true. However, this year I have a different attitude towards Valentine's Day. I've decided, what is wrong with celebrating the One I love a little bit extra this time of year or allowing myself to experience His expressions of love toward me in a more real way? While yes, I love Him all year long, is there anything wrong with me expressing it or showing Him more this time of year? After all, isn't it nice when your loved one or significant other shows you they love you in different ways and at different times?
I have purposed in my heart that this time of year when I normally allow myself to be a little depressed and the enemy infiltrates my mind with negative, bitter thoughts about being single, I will instead praise the Lord and show Him, the Lover of my Soul, my love for Him. I will rest and find satisfaction in His love for me! His love which Jeremiah 31:3 says is, "everlasting", (meaning in the original Hebrew: always, continual, eternal, forever, at any time, and without end). His love will last for eternity and will never end. It's not some fleeting emotion that comes and goes. It is continual and for always. That is true love, a love that Paul says in Romans 8:39, that nothing can separate us from. This love that He bestows on us that we should become the sons (children) of God (1 John 3:1) that same love that He loves His only Son with is the love He has for me (John 17:23)! I don't know about you, but the more I realize His love for me the more I fall in love with Him and then He reveals Himself to me even more love! What a wonderful cycle to be a part of! The more I fall in love with Him, the more I see His love for me!
The more I spend time with Him in His Word, the more I see the kind of love He has for me, a love that is perfect. He loves me exactly the way 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 describes love. His love for me "suffereth long" as the King James says. Most people today would say patient, but I like the way the KJV uses the wording “long suffering” because it truly means you hang in there through all the bad through every circumstance that comes up. You don't give up at the sign of trouble. That's how God is with me and that is how I should be with Him and others. He sticks it out through all my junk, flaws, and mistakes. Can I say that about anyone else or about myself?
His love is kind (generous, helpful, cares about other people) and doesn't envy. It doesn't brag or boast, and it isn't prideful. His love always behaves properly and decently (now, I know that's not always the way my love is), doesn't always want it's own way, is not easily angered (doesn't have a short fuse) and doesn't wish harm to anyone. It doesn't rejoice at unjust, unrighteous, and wrong behavior but rejoices in truth. His love patiently endures all things, trusts and has hope in all things, and perseveres through all things. True love like this never fails, it's never lost, or dropped away, or is inefficient. It is forever!
The more I study about that kind of love the more I realize it is what I've always searched for and longed for, and it only comes from God. I also realize the only way I will ever love like this is to become more like Him.
This Valentine's Day that is what I am going to focus on, God's love for me that is more than I've ever known or will ever know and learning to love Him in the same way. I love Him because He first loved me and because of who He is, has been, and will continue to be! I do hope to find a Godly love like this in a spouse one day, but for now I find contentment in the Lord. I find satisfaction in His never-ending love. "I am my beloved's and He is mine."
I have purposed in my heart that this time of year when I normally allow myself to be a little depressed and the enemy infiltrates my mind with negative, bitter thoughts about being single, I will instead praise the Lord and show Him, the Lover of my Soul, my love for Him. I will rest and find satisfaction in His love for me! His love which Jeremiah 31:3 says is, "everlasting", (meaning in the original Hebrew: always, continual, eternal, forever, at any time, and without end). His love will last for eternity and will never end. It's not some fleeting emotion that comes and goes. It is continual and for always. That is true love, a love that Paul says in Romans 8:39, that nothing can separate us from. This love that He bestows on us that we should become the sons (children) of God (1 John 3:1) that same love that He loves His only Son with is the love He has for me (John 17:23)! I don't know about you, but the more I realize His love for me the more I fall in love with Him and then He reveals Himself to me even more love! What a wonderful cycle to be a part of! The more I fall in love with Him, the more I see His love for me!
The more I spend time with Him in His Word, the more I see the kind of love He has for me, a love that is perfect. He loves me exactly the way 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 describes love. His love for me "suffereth long" as the King James says. Most people today would say patient, but I like the way the KJV uses the wording “long suffering” because it truly means you hang in there through all the bad through every circumstance that comes up. You don't give up at the sign of trouble. That's how God is with me and that is how I should be with Him and others. He sticks it out through all my junk, flaws, and mistakes. Can I say that about anyone else or about myself?
His love is kind (generous, helpful, cares about other people) and doesn't envy. It doesn't brag or boast, and it isn't prideful. His love always behaves properly and decently (now, I know that's not always the way my love is), doesn't always want it's own way, is not easily angered (doesn't have a short fuse) and doesn't wish harm to anyone. It doesn't rejoice at unjust, unrighteous, and wrong behavior but rejoices in truth. His love patiently endures all things, trusts and has hope in all things, and perseveres through all things. True love like this never fails, it's never lost, or dropped away, or is inefficient. It is forever!
The more I study about that kind of love the more I realize it is what I've always searched for and longed for, and it only comes from God. I also realize the only way I will ever love like this is to become more like Him.
This Valentine's Day that is what I am going to focus on, God's love for me that is more than I've ever known or will ever know and learning to love Him in the same way. I love Him because He first loved me and because of who He is, has been, and will continue to be! I do hope to find a Godly love like this in a spouse one day, but for now I find contentment in the Lord. I find satisfaction in His never-ending love. "I am my beloved's and He is mine."
RSS Feed
