Last week, couples around the world celebrated their love on Valentine’s Day. The day became associated with romantic love in the 14th and 15th centuries, when notions of courtly love flourished, apparently by association with the "lovebirds" of early spring. However, the origins of the day are unclear, and there were, apparently, several ‘saints’ called Valentine who may have inspired the event. Suffice it to say the 14th of February has become highly commercialised. Each year approximately 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolates are sold [an astonishing 58 million lbs of chocolate] and 250 million red roses. Expressions of love?
“Love is grounded in the nature of [Yahweh] and is the highest expression of His character,” writes Oswald Sanders. “We are mature only to the degree that we are mature in love.” I pondered on this as the world around me celebrated Valentine’s Day. How impoverished our love seems when we compare it to Yahweh’s, or when we think of Yahshua. I muse on the fact that Yahweh demonstrated His immense love by sending Yahshua to die for us while we were still sinners [Romans 5:8]. I remember the incredible statement that it was Yahweh’s will to crush Yahshua, cause Him suffering and make His life an offering for sin [Isaiah 53:10]. Can we aspire to even a fraction of this quality?
The Bible is a book about love! Humanity peppered it with wars, strife, idolatry, and sin, but from the opening chapter of Genesis to the end of Revelation, the story is about how Yahweh ‘so loved the world’. “Love is more than sentiment; it is an activity,” states Sanders. And Yahweh is constantly active on behalf of Adam’s race; He has great plans for us. His love is ‘greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell’ and it’s impossible to comprehend it.
“Could we with ink the ocean fill,
and were the skies of parchment made;
were every stalk on earth a quill,
and everyone a scribe by trade;
to write the love of God above
would drain the ocean dry;
nor could the scroll contain the whole,
though stretched from sky to sky.”
Frederick M. Leyman
Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/photos/valentines-day-chocolates-candies-2057745/
You Are The BranchesClick to see the whole passage:
1 timothy 3:16 NIV - Beyond all question, the mystery from - Bible Gateway
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