A Valentine's Day Thought

Instead of flowers, hearts, chocolate, or Teddy Bears, I thought I would focus on God's love for Valentine's Day this year.  God cannot be outdone in the way that He loves.  He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us, to pay the penalty for our sinfulness that we deserved, so that we can be made right with God.  This is His greatest act of love.  But God loves us in other ways as well.  One of the other ways God continues to show His love each day is by displaying His glory through His creation.  We enjoy gazing at a majestic mountain or peaceful sunset because of God's love.  We delight in walking through a golden aspen grove in autumn because of God's love.  The wonder we feel as we listen to the evening call of a loon on a northern lake is because of God's love.  Through creation and in so many other ways God continues to show us His love.  And because He has loved us, we are able to love others.  That's what 1 John 4:19 says:

                          We love because He first loved us.

As you think about showing your love to someone this Valentine's Day, remember that you are only able to do so because God loved you first.