Love is in the air, everywhere we look!

Well, at least the world’s version of LOVE.

It’s almost Valentine’s Day and we cannot walk into a grocery store and buy lettuce or kale chips without being assaulted by flowers, candy, balloons, cards, cookies, cupcakes, crackers and even cheese, in the shape of hearts! The image we have all grown accustomed to associating with LOVE! And, yes, I actually saw cheese in the shape of a heart, to accompany the heart shaped crackers stacked next to them!

Now, in case I may be sounding a bit “hypocritical” here, I am probably one of the biggest purchasers of such things! 

I love Valentine’s Day!  The down side is that I love eating all of the Valentine chocolate and baked goods. Actually, I also quite enjoyed the heart shaped crackers and cheese too!  The positive aspect is that I LOVE the happy feeling I get seeing love and sharing it with others!

Your travels through the grocery store to buy your few simple staple items, may produce warm, happy, positive feelings this time of year, as you view the full array of “HEARTS ON DISPLAY,” or it may stir up sad, negative or even angry feelings as you feel the “slap of love”, smack in your face!

LOVE on display is great when we are in loving relationships, but when we are not, love on display can evoke deep sadness and grief.

That is, “LOVE” that is associated with all of the worldly definitions of LOVE we have just outlined. When our definition of anything is not defined by the Creator of it, it is false!

GOD IS THE CREATOR OF LOVE! 

Real, true authentic LOVE is not found in anyone or anything else!

“LOVE  COMES FROM GOD.”  I JOHN 4:16

GOD IS THE CREATOR OF LOVE, THEREFORE ONLY HE CAN DEFINE IT!

JOHN LAYS IT OUT FOR US CLEARLY AND CONCISELY IN HIS FIRST LETTER…

“IF WE LOVE OTHERS THEN WE ARE A CHILD OF GOD AND WE KNOW GOD.”  

I JOHN 4:7

The way we act toward others, when we feel loving and when we do not feel loving, tells the world if we are truly know God and are His child.

TRUTH BOMB

God‘s love is shown when we love each other!

John goes on to say something even harder to swallow…

“BUT ANYONE WHO DOES NOT LOVE DOES NOT KNOW GOD…”  I JOHN 4:8a

SMACK!  I do not know about you, but that verse smacks me flat in the face, much harsher than any “hearts” of Valentine’s Day paraphernalia ever could!

If I do not LOVE others, then I do not truly know God!

WHY?  BECAUSE GOD IS LOVE!

It is not simply part of His character, or a single attribute that He has, IT IS WHO HE IS!

GOD IS LOVE!

HE IS THE CREATOR AND HE IS LOVE! THEREFORE, GOD IS THE CREATOR OF LOVE!

I John 4:8 finishes with this statement…

“FOR GOD IS LOVE.“

This is the game changer friends! WE are LOVED because the Creator of LOVE, LOVES US!

And we are free to give and receive LOVE, because the LOVE of God is in us!

So, let’s take this TRUTH and look at a day the world has set aside for “Love,” and use it to demonstrate God’s LOVE to the world!

“WE LOVE EACH OTHER BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US.”   I JOHN 4:19

You are LOVED my friend, by the Creator of LOVE, God Himself! He loves you and gave His very life to prove it to you!

“THIS IS REAL LOVE – NOT THAT WE LOVED GOD, BUT THAT HE LOVED US AND SENT HIS SON AS A SACRIFICE TO TAKE AWAY OUR SINS.”  I JOHN 4:10

The Creator God loved you so much that He sent His Son to die to tell you just how much!

“BUT GOD SHOWED HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US SENDING CHRIST TO DIE FOR US WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS.”  ROMANS 5:8

YOU ARE LOVED!

So, what are you going to do this Valentine’s Day to show God’s Love?

 Any attempt we make on Valentine’s Day, or any other day, to define LOVE or find LOVE by any other definition, will fall short and disappoint!

Speak Truth Love