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Posted on February 15, 2008 ...

    I spent some time earlier this week in the Greeting Card section of a local store looking for the right Valentine's Day sentiment to share with my wife. From my observation, lots of other folks had been rummaging through the stacks before I got there. I feel sorry for those waiting until the last day. After getting so picked over, the selections available to them will be even more limited!
     I could not help but note that the multitudes of cards were divided into all kinds of categories. First, they were sorted in reference to the intended recipients: Wife, Husband, Son, Daughter, Mother, Father, Friend, Boyfriend, Girlfriend, etc. But even more specific were the types of messages reflected in the cards: romantic, humorous, friendship, musical, etc. Time, study, and effort can go into finding the card with the wording that reflects just the right sentiment you are looking to express.
     Valentine's Day focuses attention on the sentimentality of love. Let's face it. Love can feel great. It is like the little girl who said Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other!
     But while the romantic feelings of love can feel deep, true love runs deeper still. Real love goes beyond emotion and translates into action. When God inspired Paul to describe love, he did not write about how love felt but rather how love behaves: Love is patient...kind...protects...trusts...hopes ...perseveres...etc. 1 Corinthians 13.
     I am currently leading studies in 1 John on Tuesday mornings and Wednesday nights. John affirms this idea of love in action beginning with God's love for us: This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:10 NIV He goes on to emphasizes that a Christian's love for other Christians is clear evidence that they have been forever touched by God's love.
     Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:11-12 NIV
     Approximately 20 years ago we came upon a phrase to describe the desired heart of our North Cleveland Baptist Church: Where Love Is Alive. While we make no claims to being a perfect church nor even close to the congregation we could be, I remain confident that our church family is a place where people sense and share great love one for another. You are loved. Jay