The world presents us with myriads of problems, most
of which we cannot solve. Everybody has got theirs to contend with. It does not
matter that a person is rich or poor, educated or not, healthy or sick,
everybody faces challenges that test their nerves on a daily basis. To some it
is their family, to others education. To some it is their business, to others
their spiritual life. You also have where the shoe pinches. We all do.
In the face of these challenges
we crave an understanding
from fellows. Unfortunately we do not receive it because everybody carries
theirs. People are not so much interested in the welfare of others as they are
in their own. That is the basic human nature – a selfish one.
Understanding this nature, the Lord gives us a
command to love one another: “Love one another as I have loved you”
(John 15: 12). The foundation of this
love is God Himself: “Whoever does not love does not know God, because
God is love” (1 John 4: 8)
Valentine Day celebrated every 14th day
of February is said to derive from the sacrificial love that saints of old had
for their fellows, a love that even led some to the martyrs stake. Some priests
lost their lives in the pursuit of their fellows’ happiness. So we can say the
spirit of Valentine is selfless love. It is love that forgets self and focuses
on the joy of others. An old Scripture Union (SU) song defines JOY as “Jesus first, Yourself last, and Others
in between.” The true love that brings satisfaction to a person is selfless
love, love expressed to make the other person happy and fulfilled. Can that be
said to be the spirit of Val today?
The Bible encourages us to look to the welfare of
others as we also look to ours. “Each of you should look not only to your
own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2: 4). The highest example
of this is the Lord Jesus Christ, who left His glory in heaven and came into
this sinful world to die for you and me. The Bible says of Him, “For
you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for
your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich”
(2 Corinthians 8: 9). The hymn writer
wrote
He left
His Father’s throne above;
So free,
so infinite His grace;
Emptied
Himself of all but love,
And
bled for Adam’s helpless race…
That is true love, the real Val. Jesus invites you
to be His Val. His love for you is selfless. He knows the burdens you carry and
wants to relieve you of the load. He is right now at the door (of your heart)
knocking. He says, “I stand at the door and knock. If anyone (even you) hears
my voice and opens the door, I will come in” (Revelation 3: 20). You sure can hear Him asking to be invited in. Wait
no longer. Invite Him in today and have peace. You wonder at how to do it? Just
say, “Come into my heart Lord Jesus”, and see what miracle will follow
immediately.
Happy Val with JESUS!
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