A Hopeful Valentine's Day

"Graffiti Valentine" Original art by Ruthie Robbins

Whether you are in love, out of love, wanting love, hating love or perfectly lovely, you are more loved in this moment than you can ever imagine or grasp. Whenever I read the 1Corinthians 13 passage on love I usually compare how I love with God's standard of what love is. I don't measure up. I don't love that way. Sometimes I do, but more often I mess it up.

Love is patient.
Love is kind.
Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.
Love does not demand its own way.
Love is not irritable.
Love keeps no record of being wronged.


So when I read very familiar passages I try and ask God to show me something new and fresh, not because I am bored, but because I believe that His Word is living and active and able to speak truth to my soul. Friends He does not disappoint. He speaks words of life through His Word and He reveals glimpses of His nature through the words on the page.

Christ is patient.
Christ is kind.
Christ is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.
He doesn't want what others have or act all puffed up, even though he has every right to.
Christ does not demand his own way.
He does not make us follow him. He does not make us puppets. We have a choice.
He is not irritable.
Christ does not keep a record of being wronged.
Scripture says He has removed our sin and cast it as far as the east is from the west.
He does not rejoice about injustice, but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 
He is a champion for the weak. He isn't interested in the most popular idea, only the one that is true.
Christ never gives up.
Hear that again, Christ never gives up. He never gives up on you and He never gives up on me.
Christ never loses faith.
He is always hopeful.
And Christ endures through every circumstance.
He endured the cross and the grave and He will endure with you and with me because He IS Love!

Happy Valentine's Day!