Or as I like to call it, St. I'm ignoring it day. But, nonetheless, it is the day that has been set aside for the celebration of wuv and love is a good thing.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. --1 John 4:7-11
God is the source of love. That's pretty plain-and-simple, I think. His love has declared itself to us in our creation, but among us in our redemption. And Jesus tells us that our pattern to follow in loving is the one He set before us:
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. --John 15:13
My Sunday night guys and I had an interesting discussion on this verse. Bear in mind these are middle and high school boys. They were intrigued by the notion that it's not just the laying down of our physical lives that shows this greatest love, but laying down our lives for someone on a daily basis, taking on their burdens, devoting ourselves to meeting their needs, listening, helping, encouraging, and giving. In short, give all you can, then give more.
This is sacrificial love. This is Christ's love. And honestly, it's the only way to go.
My favorite part of John's passage says, "In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us..." My love for God, or for anyone else, proves nothing. It is simply a response to His love. His love for me, and everyone else, is limitless, all-consuming, awe-inspiring, but it is independent of my love.
His love is there even if mine isn't. That is ____. I can't find a word. That's what unconditional means. He doesn't need to be motivated or obligated to love me based on my actions or righteousness, or the way I treat Him. His love doesn't depend on me loving Him at all. That's how I want to love, with a love that doesn't require.
If we love, we know God. If we know God, we love. If we don't love, we don't know God. If we don't know God, we don't love. Any questions?
I hope you all have a Happy Valentine's Day in spite of me. If anyone will let me buy them some chocolate, say the word.
