Monthly Thought

February 2009 - Love love love

February 14th Valentine's day - not sure what you make of it, but it's banned in our house (not really - but not celebrated). Pat is refusing to be told when to show his love and appreciation to me with purchased things on one particular day, and in a way, he's got a point. It's fun if you get a Valentine's card, kind of sad if you don't - even if you don't want to put to much value on it. That's like saying, nobody out there loves you "in that way". If you get more then one card - loved by many - but that causes it's own problems, who will you chose and what about the one's you don't - rejected love arghhhhh - sad sad place to be. When we lived in the USA, the school was very concerned about inclusiveness, so if you gave Valentines cards, you had to give everybody one and they gave out lists with all the kids names in the class on it and you bought the cards in big packs - like birthday invites style - but that's an odd way of doing it as well because some people you do like more then others. Seems Valentine's is not all it's cracked up to be.

Love is such a delicate thing and the feeling or thought of nobody loving us is devastating indeed, while the knowledge of being loved is amazing.

All this love stuff got me thinking about God's idea of love - starting with one of my favourite scriptures EVER

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! (1 John 3:1a)

Lavished - God lavished his love - on US - how amazing is that ! ! !

Or how about

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other. (John 15:12 - 17)

Now you might think to yourself - hang on a minute, surely that's not talking about "the Valentine's day" kind of love and you would be right, it's not talking about a romantic or sexual kind of love - it's talking about the love of God. A love greater and deeper and bigger than we can imagine - a perfect love.

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died-more than that, who was raised to life-is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31 - 39)

NOTHING can separate us from God's love - NOTHING ! So, if you didn't get a Valentine's card - never mind - neither did I - just remember - GOD - the creator of the heavens and the earth LOVES YOU : If you have any questions or want to chat about things - you can contact me on erikawillis@gmail.com

Erika