A Valentine for you

This morning as I was getting ready for work I hugged my precious bride of 24 plus years and told her how thankful to God I was for her. Then I thought of another Valentine -- God's love for us in Christ. I know. For the believer, this is obvious. He is our ultimate Valentine. But how often do I slow down long enough to meditate upon this extravagant love of the Father that He extends to us through His Son Jesus Christ?

Susan and I always pray out loud ewith each other every morning before I head out the door to work. Today she thanked the Lord for how His love has enriched our love so much. I was especially grateful for our relationship this morning as I recalled the news we heard recently of another couple we know whose marriage hit the rocks. Susan and I know deep in our hearts that Christ is the bond that keeps us together and fills us with a love for Him and each other that makes our marriage not only work but thrive. And so we give Him all the praise.

On the way to work I popped in the CD player one of my favorite songs of Dennis Jernigan, "When the Night is Falling." It was such a soul filling experience hearing Dennis sing "How I love you, child I love you," as he drew us into the reality of the Father singing over us. It made me think again of one of my favorite "love of God" Scriptures:

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." – Zeph 3:17

It's funny how that song started to replay as I arrived at work. I hadn't hit the "Repeat" button. Maybe God did -- He wanted me to hear this message again, perhaps.

At our devotional this morning, I asked the volunteers to share their favorite verses about the love of God. Edith, an elderly woman who glows with the love of Christ and serves our neighbors through the food pantry ministry, quoted John 3:16:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

We can't hear that promise too often, can we. After our prayer, I told the group that I wanted them to hear the Dennis Jernigan song, telling them that while the song played they could get up and go to work if they wanted to. Yet they all stayed, captured by this beautiful love song. I felt the urge to leave but decided to stay with the group and just receive this love from the Father.

Jernigan sang over and over the words, "How I love you, child, I love you. How I love you, child , I love you. "

As I look back on my years as a Christ-follower, I realize that for so long I worked hard for God but didn't really grasp the depths of His love and bathe in that love. How could I have missed such promises from God's word, such as "God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (Rom. 5:5a)?

There was no particular defining moment that God used to begin capturing me with His love. He used several moments, actually -- words and songs of others, the love of other believers, signifcant experiences, such as:

* The books of Max Lucado, Brennan Manning and John Eldredge

* Going on a Walk to Emmaus and then working them as a team member (This song by Jernigan reminds me of worship times at these Walks, where the Spirit of the living God plunged us into an experience of His love)

* Being loved, accepted and forgiven over and over by my wife and kids for the times when I didn't act very Jesus-like, especially in those times when I spoke harshly to them

* Being gripped by the power of the gospel, recognizing that I am a sinner in desperate need of the grace of God. The "music of the gospel" broke through as the Lord helped me see the depths of my sin, the power of the cross, and the beauty of God's saving faith in Jesus Christ."

* Men God put in my life to whom I could confess my sins and some of my deepest struggles...and then be received, guided with spiritual counsel and loved.

How did our Lord open your eyes to see how much He loves you and that you are His beloved child by grace through faith in the work of the cross?
Happy Valentines Day -- in Jesus!

In the grip of His love,

Jim