By Shirley Mitchell
“We love because he first loved us.”
1 John 4:19
Happy Valentine’s Day, beloved! Today is the day were thousands of children like my daughters take shoe boxes wrapped in tissue decorated with red and pink hearts to school for others to slip valentines in their boxes. It is a high sales day for florists and jewelry stores. It is a day of romance. It is day for expressing love.
This day is a day of joy for many people. However, some people really struggle through this day. Many of us are lonely though. Many of us like to avoid this day. We feel unloved. Somewhere in the secret places of our minds we ask ourselves questions that we don’t want anyone else to know that we think about. We think things like when will I be loved? Why can’t I find somebody to love? Am I just plain unloveable?
The answer to all of us is that YES you are loved and very loveable. We are loved by our Father in heaven who rules and reigns on high. May be the reason why we ask these questions is because the empty place that only God can fill inside of us is crying out for us to know God’s love.
God showed us that when He sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins. He showed His love in the Bible that He had written just for you and me. It is His love letter to us. He still shows His love for you as He intervenes and orchestrates things to work together for your good. He shows His love for us when His Holy Spirit speaks to us and reveals to us the Father.
1 John 4:19 is one of the simplest verses in the Bible with the deepest of truths. It says simply that we love because He first loved us. He is the source of love. He is the supply of love. We can’t begin to love ourselves or love others unless we first receive God’s love. When we accept God’s love and let it permeate every part of our being, we feel accepted by the ultimate opinion and greatest power in the universe. His love fuels us, and it never ends.
One of my favorite things to do on Valentine’s Day is to look for my valentine from God. Sometimes it is something in the sky like a sunset. Sometimes I have felt like a song on the radio was just for me and like I was experiencing a spiritual serenade. Sometimes it is the fresh word I get when I read my Bible. I know He is there because I feel His Spirit and His love wash over me. Every time my God-moment happens, I know that He is expressing His love for me and saying, “I love you, Shirley.” I simply reply to Him usually through tears, “I love You, too. I love You so much. I love You, too.”
Beloved, have you had your valentine from God yet today? Ask Him to give you spiritual eyes to see and ears to Him. He is our Father who has done everything to let us know that He loves us. Seek Him.
Pray with me: Almighty God, You sought us out and made us Yours. Be our valentine. Let us be Yours and You be ours. We love the way You love us. You love us perfectly and completely. Take our breath away. Pleasantly surprise us. We give You this day. Take control over it and amaze us. It is in Name above all names, Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, that we pray, Amen.
Copyright ©2011 Christ Compels Ministry
“We love because he first loved us.”
1 John 4:19
Happy Valentine’s Day, beloved! Today is the day were thousands of children like my daughters take shoe boxes wrapped in tissue decorated with red and pink hearts to school for others to slip valentines in their boxes. It is a high sales day for florists and jewelry stores. It is a day of romance. It is day for expressing love.
This day is a day of joy for many people. However, some people really struggle through this day. Many of us are lonely though. Many of us like to avoid this day. We feel unloved. Somewhere in the secret places of our minds we ask ourselves questions that we don’t want anyone else to know that we think about. We think things like when will I be loved? Why can’t I find somebody to love? Am I just plain unloveable?
The answer to all of us is that YES you are loved and very loveable. We are loved by our Father in heaven who rules and reigns on high. May be the reason why we ask these questions is because the empty place that only God can fill inside of us is crying out for us to know God’s love.
God showed us that when He sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins. He showed His love in the Bible that He had written just for you and me. It is His love letter to us. He still shows His love for you as He intervenes and orchestrates things to work together for your good. He shows His love for us when His Holy Spirit speaks to us and reveals to us the Father.
1 John 4:19 is one of the simplest verses in the Bible with the deepest of truths. It says simply that we love because He first loved us. He is the source of love. He is the supply of love. We can’t begin to love ourselves or love others unless we first receive God’s love. When we accept God’s love and let it permeate every part of our being, we feel accepted by the ultimate opinion and greatest power in the universe. His love fuels us, and it never ends.
One of my favorite things to do on Valentine’s Day is to look for my valentine from God. Sometimes it is something in the sky like a sunset. Sometimes I have felt like a song on the radio was just for me and like I was experiencing a spiritual serenade. Sometimes it is the fresh word I get when I read my Bible. I know He is there because I feel His Spirit and His love wash over me. Every time my God-moment happens, I know that He is expressing His love for me and saying, “I love you, Shirley.” I simply reply to Him usually through tears, “I love You, too. I love You so much. I love You, too.”
Beloved, have you had your valentine from God yet today? Ask Him to give you spiritual eyes to see and ears to Him. He is our Father who has done everything to let us know that He loves us. Seek Him.
Pray with me: Almighty God, You sought us out and made us Yours. Be our valentine. Let us be Yours and You be ours. We love the way You love us. You love us perfectly and completely. Take our breath away. Pleasantly surprise us. We give You this day. Take control over it and amaze us. It is in Name above all names, Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, that we pray, Amen.
Copyright ©2011 Christ Compels Ministry
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