AMY LARSON
Staff Writer
Our nation is obsessed with love. We are fascinated by romance and just know that finding that “right one” will fill a void that will otherwise leave us aching. Today, especially, is supposedly one of the most love-filled days on our calendar; it is also the day where those of us without significant others focus solely on their absence, feeling sorry for ourselves.
Look around. There are countless movies, books and television shows all devoted to this idea. Even commercials show us different items that are sure to enhance our chance of attracting that special someone.
And that’s it. That’s what our lives are about, right? We focus on this love for years and years. It begins early (surely I was not the only one who had a boyfriend in kindergarten) and continues until the end of our lives.
But what if our concept of ideal love wasn’t found in a Valentine’s Day card or even in some sort of life-long romance? What if we had access to perfect, undying love every single day of our lives? I believe we do.
Our love is imperfect; we’re fickle and change our minds. We find something better or smarter or more fun, and we want that instead of what we’ve got. However, there is a love that is more beautiful and more astounding than any film could ever depict. This is a love that extends to everyone, regardless of what it will receive in return. This love doesn’t keep track of faults or insults, and it doesn’t condemn; instead, it forgives, it endures, it believes the best in everyone. This love can’t be earned or lost.
This is the love of God.
This sort of love is hard. It makes us do things that humble us, stretch us, toughen us. This is love that repays evil with good, gives without expecting repayment, and is kind to both the wicked and the righteous (Luke 6:35).
Tough, right? It isn’t our instinct to go out of our way to do nice things for those who have hurt us, or to give to anyone who asks. But that is what this love thrives on. This love is unnatural; it’s not the norm for us. But if we live receiving and giving this love, our lives would have much more fulfillment than we could ever imagine.
So where do we get this love, a love that far surpasses the sweet feelings of Valentine’s Day (or any other day)? This love is found only in God. In fact, God Himself is this love (1 John 4:7-8). He gives to all – those who recognize Him and those who do not, those who return His love and those who do not, those who entrust their lives to Him and those who do not. Everybody.
If we begin to live in this love – to know we are surrounded by it regardless of what we say or do or who we are – we can find something no romance could ever provide. A life we could never imagine; one that’s filled with people we thought we’d be able to befriend.
So today, on this dearly loved day, remember that without doing anything to get it, you already have the love that will never change, can never be rationalized away, will never lessen. You have the love that has captured millions for thousands of years; one that has tried to be explained, or reasoned away, but cannot. This love is unshakeable. God loves you. Yes, you. A lot. And nothing will ever change that (Rom. 8:31-39).
02-14-2008