Reflections: Finding perfect love this Valentine’s Day
Everyone needs to feel loved and treasured, so with Valentine’s Day near, I’ve been pondering how God’s love can fill us, especially when those around us sometimes fail to fulfill our needs for love. Of course, how the world views love is very different from how God demonstrates His love toward us. So, let’s look at God’s love letter to find out how He shows us His love.
God longs to comfort us with great tenderness. “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing,” (Luke 13:34 NIV).
God’s love is unconditional. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us,” (Romans 5:8 NIV).
God’s love is gentle. “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls,'” (Matthew 11:28-29 NLT).
God’s love is faithful and merciful. “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning,” (Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT).
God’s love is compassionate. “But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness,” (Psalm 86.15 NLT).
God’s love is beyond our understanding. “And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully…” Ephesians 3:18-19 NLT).
God’s love is always available, even when we face troubles. “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior,” (Isaiah 43:2-3 NLT).
God’s love is eternal. “For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain,”(Isaiah 54:10a NLT).
God’s love protects. “But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread your protection over them, that all who love your name may be filled with joy. For you bless the godly, O LORD; you surround them with your shield of love,” (Psalm 5:11-12 NLT).
We cannot be separated from God’s love. “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow — not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below — indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord,” (Romans 8:38-39 NLT).
I pray that, as we seek Him personally through His Word and prayer, we will all learn more and more each day how much God loves us and in so doing, find complete peace and rest in Him.