Valentine’s Day excites some but disappoints many. A day intended to celebrate the love received and given to those special to us can actually leave us wanting. Human love is imperfect and always will be. This isn’t reason not to celebrate love in human relationships. On the contrary, we should seek to grow in expressing and receiving love from those close to us. But this special day is also a good reminder to dive deeper into God’s love.
A few days ago as I was reading Revelation, my heart was pricked with conviction over my self-centered love. My love for God can so easily become wrapped up in my life, my needs, my wants, my sufferings. I lose focus on the love relationship that holds everything else together. It turns out the greatest commandment, to love God, is not as easy as it sounds.
I have always preferred a good war movie over a romance. Romantic love, as we see it portrayed in the world today, is not what God originally intended. Whether it is romance novels, movies, social media, or magazines, we get skewed images of love. We see idealistic relationships that two human beings could never attain. Or we see devastating ruins of romance gone wrong.
A few years ago, I was challenged by a very wise woman to give up my daily Bible reading plan for a few weeks and relate to God through the Song of Solomon. For me, this was a very challenging task. Song of Solomon was a book that I usually skimmed over. Once in a whileI picked a verse or two that applied to my marriage. But, when it came to my relationship with God, it seemed mostly irrelevant, if not inappropriate. As I met God in those verses though, I began to experience deeper intimacy with him. It rounded out some of the square edges I had set up around God.
Wait. Abide. Be satisfied. Delight. Enjoy. These are all words used to describe the type of relationship God wants with us! The Bible is really a love story. A groom pursuing his bride.
God delights in you (Isaiah 62:4). He rejoices over you as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride (Isaiah 62:5). God is filled with gladness over you, he quiets you by his love, and exults over you with loud singing (Zephaniah 3:17). Can you believe this?! I mean, really take it to heart. God‘s love for us is better than any Valentine card or heart-shaped chocolate. So whether Valentine’s Day is everything you wished it was or only brings disappointment, take time with the One whose love will never let you down.
Haha that you prefer war over romance movie.
I love your thoughts on God’s love, makes me really think and appreciate His love in a different ways. Love ya friend.
Hi Dear Daughter. I so much enjoyed reading your short but very sweet post here. Your sentiments expressed about your reluctance to apply Song of Songs to God were probably partly inherited from me:”But, when it came to my relationship with God, it seemed mostly irrelevant, if not inappropriate”! But how true it is that our Creator and Father, and His Son our Savior and coming Bridegroom, are both the original and greatest of Lovers. Your testimony also intrigues me: “As I met God in those verses though, I began to experience deeper intimacy with him. It rounded out some of the square edges I had set up around God.” With all this in mind, I might have another slow read myself. Love, Dad