"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35 (NIV)
Dear friends,
As we celebrate this season of love, I want to take a moment to reflect on the profound gift of love, both in marriage and in the greater love of God. On Valentine’s Day, we often celebrate the love we share with our spouses, but let us also remember the ultimate source of love, the love that flows from our Creator.
In marriage, we experience a reflection of God's love for us. The love between spouses is meant to be a picture of the unwavering, sacrificial love that God shows God's people. As it is written in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." These words remind us that love in marriage, like God's love, should be unconditional and enduring.
But above all, let us not forget the depth of God's love for us. John 3:16 tells us, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." This divine love is not bound by time or circumstance; it is freely given, without expectation, and is the foundation of all the love we share with others.
On this Valentine’s Day, may we celebrate not only the love between us as spouses but also the love that God has lavished upon us, a love that empowers and transforms.
With love and blessings,
Pastor Richard