When I was in elementary school I couldn’t wait until Valentine’s Day. It was so much fun decorating a shoebox to put all my Valentine’s in and of course eating all that yummy candy. I would spend hours putting together Valentine’s cards for all my friends because I had to pick that special card for each one of them. We would dress in “red” and have a party and then go home and read how special we were to each other. Now, I get to help my kids pick out their special Valentine’s cards for their friends and see their excitement as well. Callie and Caleb had fun going through and reading their cards and “love notes” from their classmates and of course overindulging in candy. Each card they read brought such a smile to their faces to see how much they meant to the person sending them the card. Isn’t it great to hear how special we are to others?
This particular Valentine’s Day, for me, didn’t quite end the typical way. Typically, it ends with me reflecting on all the love of those special people in my life. This Valentine’s Day ended extremely late as I was filing a police report for my work computer that was stolen right out of my van as I was working at Weight Watchers. Needless to say, I wasn’t “feeling the love”! I was feeling everything but, just to be honest. I felt a whole melting pot of emotions from sadness to guilt because that computer didn’t even belong to me. But as the next few days unfolded (and the nausea started to wear off), I began to see how God took that situation and showed me just how much he does love me.
You see, through this situation I discovered a whole new appreciation for those around me every day. My husband and his loving arms and encouraging words, my kids and their sweet giving spirits, my co-workers and their precious hugs, prayers, and help getting my office up and running again quickly, my family in their willingness to jump in and help out, a perfect stranger and his kindness in finding my computer bag (minus the computer of course) on the side of the road and bringing it back to me, a police officer who was so helpful and is now becoming a new friend and sister in Christ! God has shown me at every turn that even in the midst of this trial, he will always be there with loving arms! We have prayed for this person who stole my computer! He may have been looking for electronics but, praise the Lord, he had to go through much of God’s Word to get it. I have precious scriptures all over my van and as you open my computer, scripture and devotions of God’s greatness and love is there as well. Our prayer all week has been that God’s Word will permeate their soul and that they will recognize their need of a Savior. That Valentine’s Day could have been the day that they realized the One who loves them most!
As I think about Valentine’s Day and the importance of that day, (this will definitely be one that I won’t forget) I do think about the love of my Heavenly Father. I have the most wonderful love note of all right in my very hands and every day he reminds me of how special I am to him.
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” I John 3:1
The word “lavish” also means extravagant, bountiful. Don’t you just love that word, “lavish”? It brings a smile to my face and peace in my heart to know how unconditional his love actually is. It is hard for us to comprehend that kind of love because we do sometimes put conditions (maybe without even knowing) on our love for others. But our Father’s love is the perfect love and every day we can read from his love note to us with the assurance that it is unending. His love is extravagant and bountiful and he gives it to us every day. Though my Valentine’s Day didn’t end with the “love” I expected, my Lord has shown me all week through his Word just how deep and far his love for me goes! I am his child! That will never change!
Thank you Abba Father, for your love for me! That is has no conditions and that it has no end!
As you begin your weekend in this beautiful weather, focus on that extravagant love he gives us and how we can show that love to others even when it is not easy.
Allison
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