Real Love

“This is real love – not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.”

–1 John 4:10

Valentine’s Day was last week.

You know, Stonecroft staff is amazing. Someone got the bright and creative idea for all of us to decorate Valentine’s boxes, and last week we filled those boxes with treats for each other.

What a great way to share the love – especially helpful for those of us who might not have a Valentine “other.”

But we do! We do have a Valentine. A cosmic one at that!

Every single one of us on staff has been loved with an everlasting love. And that’s true of you, too.

All of our fanciful dreams for “the love of our life,” all of our handsome prince-filled fairy tales, all of our romantic musings are signposts to a pursuing love, an unconditional love, a love that will never fade.

After all, the God-man left His throne to come get us, laid down his life to purchase us, and will never stop loving us no matter how we treat Him.

Sally Lloyd-Jones in her Jesus Storybook Bible describes God’s love as a “Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love.”

God Himself says: “… I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself “ (Jeremiah 31:3b).

And God’s love leads to an eternal marriage full of joy:

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth … And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever”

– Revelation 21:1-4

Everyone wants love. We want perfect love that fills us, brings us joy, and never ends.

Jesus alone gives us such love. His is “real love,” a love that cost Him His life. Amazing love.

A pastor once said, “We are more evil than we ever dared imagine and more loved than we ever dared hope.”

How can we not, therefore, share that love with others? How can we not, therefore, introduce the love of our lives to everyone who needs to meet Him?

Oh, Lord, so fill my heart with Your love that I am more compelled than ever to tell others about it. Amen.