We Don't Do Valentine's Day... but

My husband and I are the kind of people that say a sarcastic, "Happy Valentine's Day" to each other and go about our day like any other normal day. My husband doesn't buy me flowers because I don't like getting flowers (unless, it is a plant that still has the roots, can be planted, and possibly live through my non-green thumb). I don't like getting flowers because it is like, "hey, here watch these things wither and die." I would much rather see those roses still connected and thriving on the vine. 

Before you jump to any conclusion, we are romantic people. We just don't need a day that is dedicated to us showing love to each other. We show each other love year round. But even though we don't celebrate it, we do understand if you do. 

But yet, I can't let this "holiday" come and go without writing about a love that is "True." In Jeremiah 31:3 it says, "I have loved you with an everlasting love..." and by looking at just that part of the verse we can think, "oh, how sweet!" and simply go about our day. But when we zoom out and we remember that Jeremiah is written because the people of God didn't love God enough to follow Him so they ended up in captivity. But God still loved His people... even when they did not love Him. His love is the everlasting love. It is not dependent on man but it is dependent on who He is. 

One thing that I have learned being a bereaved mother is that love doesn't end. No matter how much time passes from the day that Jonathan breathed his last breath, I will always love Him. He didn't have to do a single thing to earn my love and even death could not break it. I imagine that this is somewhat how God's love works. He naturally loves us. We don't have to do anything to earn it. But we can do a lot that causes that love grief. Our sin causes us to be separated from Him... and that hurts. In fact, it hurt so much that He was willing to allow that to be our story. So, He came and took a cross that took the sin penalty for us (death) and rose victoriously so that we could know and be in a relationship with Him. Then from the moment that we accept that amazing gift! Out of love, and dare I say, out of the wanting to never be separated from us again... we are given the Spirit (Romans 5). 

And that is the love that I want to remember. That God could not and would not be separated from us, therefore when we say, "Yes!" He floods our being with His Spirit because He wants to be with us. He wants to aid us. He wants us to have that access. We have constant contact. There isn't a moment in the day or night that I question if the Holy Spirit is there. He is always with me. 

There are days when I am not worthy to be filled with Him. There are days when I live in opposition to the gift He has given. Yet, He remains constant. His love is the everlasting love. The love that calls me deeper, calls me to better, calls me to Holiness. 

My prayer is that you know the love that wants so desperately to never leave you, to never be separated from you. Jesus Christ did everything to make sure that restored relationship could take place. Out of love, He allows us to choose and He wants us to choose Him but He doesn't force us too. But once we accept, He floods us with nothing but pure love. Be filled with love to where you overflow with love this Valentine's Day season. May those around you both friend and stranger know God's love through you. 

​I am so thankful for the love gift of the Holy Spirit! Be Blessed!

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