Well, It’s another Sunday morning. “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (ESV)
How many remember cutting a slot in the top of their shoe box, covering it with construction paper, and decorating it with big red and pink hearts and setting it on your desk so that all your classmates could put a valentine in it? I remember going through the box of new valentines trying to pick out the very best one for those close friends, it was so very important to get the exact right one for the right person. Then watching to see if they liked it when they read it. After handing them out we would get some candy or if we were lucky maybe a cupcake. We would go home on that sugar high and look at the valentines with our parents a couple times then put the decorated box in our room. By the end of the following week we had forgotten about the entire day it was now just a sweet memory and we were moving on to hopes of early spring and playing outside. It wasn’t because our fondness for our friends faded away, more so we just moved on with other things, taking our closest friends with us as we went on our way.
What would it be like if God did that to us? What would we do if his love just faded away and He moved on taking his word and promise with him? Isaiah 40:8 (ESV) says this about God’s word, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” I am so thankful that our Lord loves us like that. See, I remember that we did these valentine parties, I remember that we had treats, but I can’t tell you what the treats were. For the most part, almost all of the classmates from those early childhood days are now faceless children that, I’m sure, if I saw them on the streets I would walk by without recognizing them at all. The truth is because of our Father’s love, I still hold those memories of our childhood play and fun times in my heart. The really great thing is God’s love and his word won’t fade like that, it is the same today as it was then and will be the same a thousand years from now.
What if we didn’t know God’s word? There are many out there that don’t. There are many out there that were taught His word but choose to forget because it interferes with the way they want to walk their walk on this rock. These are the ones that curse His name until they get in a really tough spot then they call out to Him for help. Because our LORD is such a merciful God He answers. John 15:7 (ESV) tells us this truth, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” The thing is, God is not a God that answers always with a yes. Those people that don’t know him, don’t know this or the ones that don’t choose to follow until they need him think He didn’t answer. The fact is He answers every prayer in his time and it could be “no.” Philippians 4:6 (ESV) Says this, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
After you pray and make your request, wait on the LORD. By “wait” I mean serve the LORD and he will answer you, be prepared for your answer. It might be exactly what you ask for, but most likely it will be exactly what you need.
God has a plan for each one of us, He will present it to us in His time, not ours. But know this, His love is sweeter than any candy or cupcake, and it lasts forever. His word will guide us even when everything else becomes faceless to us on this life walk. The greatest thing is, all of this is steadfast, undaunting never to be taken away as long as we believe and trust in Him.
I want to wish my wife a very Happy Birthday! I love you and hope you have many more wonderful birthdays. Here’s my valentine to you all this year, God’s word lasts forever, His love is unmeasurable, and God loves each and every one of you so very much, and so do I.
