Our True Love

Hi everyone!
So I have been pondering about this post for a couple of weeks now. It is February and if you have turned on the TV, listened to the radio, walked into a store, or basically went anywhere, then you know the big deal about this month: Valentine's Day. Now as a single gal it is no secret Valentine's Day is not exactly the one I look forward to every year. Being completely honest I have been on both sides of the spectrum...well both polar opposite sides of the me plus zero spectrum. Feeling sorry for yourself and wondering where you went wrong, to disdain for anything romantic and "true love is dead" mentality. But I have to say this year is different...and no this is not the part where I make some grand announcement about some great guy I have met. I am still unattached as they come, but let me tell you I have discovered my love life. This past month I have been discovering more about someone who has been in love with me before I was even born. Someone who knew what I would look like, what my personality would be, what my gifts would be, what my hopes and dreams would be, what my weaknesses would be, and what my struggles would be. And through the struggles I have faced in the past few weeks that have led me to face some insecurities in my life, I have experienced what I would call nothing short of "TRUE love". Can I tell you more about this dream date? They "know me" and "understand my thoughts", they know my habits, likes and dislikes and "my ways", they know my mind and what I want to say before I say it, they will "hold on to me" no matter where I run when I am afraid (And believe me I am good at running away), their thoughts over me are more than I can fathom, they "outnumber the grains of sand", and when I wake up they are still there. They never leave me when I mess up and fall short. They don't let me push them away when I feel not good enough. They love me no matter what. Sounds like the traits many of us desire in a significant other right? Loyalty, honesty, understanding, forgiveness, and encouragement. Now who is this amazing person? Well He is better than any mere human being. He is our God and Savior Jesus Christ. The other day I read Psalm 139 which is the chapter to which I referenced above in italics. When I read it, I had one of those revelation moments and honestly I lost it. Psalm 139 is not considered by most biblical scholars to be a love letter to us, but I felt as if I was reading one and it broke me. All I have ever wanted is to be understood, for people to take the time to get to know me, know what I like and don't like, know what makes me smile and laugh, be there for me when I am hurting and when I am happy, to love me when I mess up and to never give up on me. And here I was reading these words: "Lord, You have searched me and know me." (vs. 1) The word "know" as been used in the Bible to refer to the upmost level of intimacy. The intimacy that is found in marriage relationships, to truly belong to someone body and soul. "You understand my thoughts from far away". (vs. 2) He understands me in a world where I often feel as if no one does and when sometimes I can't even understand myself. "...Your thoughts...how vast their sum is! If I counted them they would outnumber the grains of sand; when I wake I am still with You." (vs. 17,18) He is thinking about me all the time and never leaves my side.
This caused me to really ponder about the upcoming holiday of Valentine's Day. I mean there is a reason why even as early as January 2nd we are bombarded by hearts, cupids, chocolate, flowers, cards, and everything sappy and romantic. Because people crave it. There is reason why jewelry stores really push ads during this time, why about every store has a Valentine's section, and why kids pass out valentines at parties at school. Because love is a big deal to people. Human nature craves to be loved, understood and appreciated by people. We want to be worth something and we try to find that validation from people. Now we also know how that can goes as well. Broken hearts, binge eating discount chocolate, sitting on the couch watching chic flicks with a box of tissues...and I digress...but anyway Valentine's Day can be one of the happiest and saddest days of the year for people. Now I can also go on about how I don't really get the Valentine's Day hype because why should we choose just one day out of the year to do something "extra" special for our significant others. I mean shouldn't that be something you do more often than one day a year? But I think the root of this holiday comes from our simply desire to be wanted by someone. For us to be the center of someone's universe even if it just for one day.
If only everyone could realize what I am starting to realize in my thick skull. ;D That we already are the center of Someone's universe. The Creator of the universe. He is so deeply in love with us that knew us before we were even born. He created us in our mother's womb (Ps. 139:13) He watches all that we do and protects us. He loves us so much that He gave up His son for us even when we were underserving. (Rom. 5:8) Honestly let it sink in that a perfect God can love us that much when a human being can walk out on us for almost anything now days. This world has turned love into a game, a fake reality show, a money making scheme, when the whole time God is standing waiting for us to figure out he isn't leaving when we run out of money, lose our job, don't go to the gym or the salon every month, or more wrinkles start to show. When things get tough and our ugliness and sinful nature comes out He doesn't run away. He sometimes has to show us tough love but He helps us through it even when it's hard. We have been accepting the world's cheap imitation of love and missing out on the real thing.

Now based off of this revelation, this has led me to a new outlook on Valentine's Day. Each and everyone of us is created uniquely by God. We have "been remarkably and wonderfully made". (Ps. 139:14) We all have our different personalities, characteristics, quirks, and talents that make us unmatched to any other person in the world. There is only one YOU in this world and there will never be another one exactly like you again. So the comparison games MUST stop and believe me it isn't easy but we can do it. Acknowledge that when God looks at you and sees you for all that you are: the good and the bad, the strengths and the weaknesses; He still LOVES you. Now this also means that He loves you enough to show what you need to work on as well. He loves you enough to push you towards His truth even if it isn't comfortable at times. We must recognize sin and flee from it. Now days people will walk away instead of showing someone they love them enough to push them towards godly excellence in their lives so do not take godly chastising lightly. Be grateful He loves us enough to chastise us when we are in the wrong.

Also Valentine's Day has become just one of the many days I have decided to celebrate a God who created me in His image, who loves me enough to tell when I need to straighten up and who encourages me every day when I need it. I want to celebrate the God who loves me more than any human being ever will. I also want to celebrate all those in my life who have loved me, stood by me and been an encouragement to me. Valentine's Day is generally been viewed as mainly for couples but I think there are many of those in our families and friends who deserve our wholehearted thanks for sacrificing for us and being there for us when we needed them. Show that you appreciate them and their love for you. If you are single go out with other single friends or a family member whose spouse has passed away.
And lastly, instead of dwelling on a relationship that I may not have, I want to take the time to show my fellow man that I care. There are of course different kinds of love and what we show to our spouses and family are not the same as what we show to everyone we just meet, but we must recognize that every human being has a purpose and has a need to be loved. So many of them don't know God's love or they feel completely lost. We need to be the one who shows them a glimpse of God's love. A simple act of kindness: opening the door for someone, a smile in the checkout line, a "how are you" to a random stranger who doesn't expect it, patience with someone who is struggling. Everyone needs to know that they are loved beyond compare by God. I have been doing an experiment lately and trying to becoming better at showing godly compassion to others I come in contact with and I am honestly surprised at the results I get. I hope to share more about this in a future post, but the main point that I am trying to get across and I have been writing a book to get to is: Valentine's Day I have decided does not have to be just for those in a relationship and those who are can do so much more.
For those of us who are in relationships and maybe even more so for those of us who are not, we should take the time to recognize the greatest love of all. The love our Heavenly Father has for us and how we should respond to that. If you truly love someone what do you do? You usually spend time with them, think about them often, try and do things that make them happy. Do we do these things for the One who loves us unconditionally? Or do we put Him off for just one day of the year? Do we tell Him we are too busy or we can't do that because we might have to sacrifice a little something? How can we expect to fully love our spouses or potential future spouses if we can't even take the time to love the One who gave everything for us? I personally want to fall in love with my God more and more and fully put on the true meaning of love before I have a plus one because I want to give him my all. Therefore I need to make God my all.
Instead of focusing on what earthly love we do or do not have, maybe we should spend more time on reading about His love for us and how we are to share that love with others. Love is to be selfless. Maybe we should work on putting on the characteristics of love in our hearts than expecting to receive it all the time from others. Or maybe we should stop lying on the couch thinking that we have some disease that makes us unlovable and start living as people who have a faithful God. (Jer. 31:3) Whether or not you are single or attached this Valentine's Day put on a mindset that you are very much loved by the single most important Person who could ever be in your life. He is our Valentine and our True love. Only until we are able to be loved by Him can we truly love others. Let people see the joy in your life as you let God's love pour through you and out of you. Let that be you mission. Go out on a date with God this February 14th. I know I am and I am excited. Strive to "know" Him better and better each and every day beyond that. It will be so rewarding, trust me I can feel it!

"For I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers, height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!" Romans 8:38-39 (HCSB)