Thought for Today
Genesis 4:8 Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go out to the field." And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him.
Psalm 5:7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house, I will bow down toward your holy temple in awe of you.
John 8:42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own, but he sent me.
1 Corinthians 13:13 And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
I cannot imagine any locale on earth . . . or even orbiting earth where one could escape knowing that today is Valentine’s Day. The very fact that I am able to type these words indicates that I did remember and remain relatively hale and healthy.
I find Valentine’s Day rather unique among our common holidays. “Valentine’s Day, holiday observed annually February 14, on which lovers express their affection with greetings and gifts. Valentine’s Day did not come to be celebrated as a day of romance until about the 14th century.” (www.britannica.com) Ignoring for the moment any discussions about the real or legendary St. Valentine, our modern celebration in the U.S.A. has largely been fueled by the greeting card industry and the candy industry, with some support for all groups associated with the production of chocolate. But, I do not find that fact to in any way diminish the importance and value of a holiday focused on love.
Today, imagine what a world oriented around mutual love might resemble. Self-love is pretty well demonstrated in front of our eyes every day. But, imagine a world where even bitter enemies could at least on one day a year recognize and express mutual love. Secretary Hegseth could send a Valentine’s Day card to Senator Mark Kelley . . . and truly mean the sentiments expressed on the card. Senator Elizabeth Warren could send a card to Brian Moynihan, CEO of Bank of America . . . and truly mean the sentiments expressed on the card. President Trump could send a card to Rep. Hakeem Jeffries . . . and truly mean the sentiments expressed on the card. Drake Maye could send a card to the Seattle Seahawk’s defense . . . and truly mean the sentiments expressed on the card.
Your mind may be in a state of total disruption and confusion from even reading such thoughts, much less from trying to imagine them. Yet, that is exactly the sort of world Christians are called to work to bring about, A WORLD ORIENTED AROUND LOVE!
The word love appears between 310 – 579 times in the Bible, depending on translation. Many of you have read or heard sermons on the fact that the Greeks had several different words we translate as love. Love is a word we bandy about rather carelessly. People talk about falling in and out of love. Is that even possible? If we truly do love someone or something, can we somehow stop loving that person or thing?
I often think about and write about “Micah 6:8 He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” and “Luke 10:27 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and ‘your neighbor as yourself.'"
Can the love of which Micah and Jesus spoke ever be considered ephemeral or temporal? Paul seems to suggest to the Corinthians that faith, hope and love abide. “To abide means to remain in the same place or position over time, often implying a sense of permanence or continuity. It can also mean to bear patiently or tolerate. In a biblical context, ‘abide’ signifies maintaining a continuous connection with God and living in accordance with His teachings. Overall, the term encompasses both a general sense of staying and a deeper spiritual significance.” (Copilot Search)
English only has a single word to describe the wide range of emotions we call love. Are all the different kinds of ‘love’ we speak of truly different? Or, are all those emotions merely reflections of God’s love for God’s Creation? It seems that the more I think about love the more questions I have in my mind about that word and that emotion. Irrespective of my personal confusion, I remain absolutely certain that I love the God who loves me enough to send Jesus to teach me and lead me. And, I remain certain of my love for Greta. “And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.”
Stay safe, love extravagantly, trust God,
Pastor Ray