The Greatest Love of All

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, a day designated to celebrating the love in your life.  There will be many flower bouquets delivered, many pieces of jewelry gifted, and many words of love spoken on this special day.  While it may be a happy occasion for some, others may find it a day of heartache and disappointment.  How do you feel about Valentine’s Day?  Is it a holiday you look forward to, or do you find yourself not celebrating it at all?  You can tell me the truth…are you a Valentine’s Day scrooge?For many years I deeply despised the holiday.  Maybe it started when I was in high school and my boyfriend sent me flowers for Valentine’s Day.  Let me rephrase that…he sent me and another girl flowers for Valentine’s Day.  He even ordered them from the florist where my mom worked to make sure I’d find out about it!  After that, each year I would look at the calendar dreading its arrival.  I was always single on Valentine’s Day, and the date reminded me that another year had gone by without me finding the love of my life.  The holiday left me feeling emotionally exhausted, unloved and unwanted, and it wasn’t until I was 29 years old and celebrated my first Valentine’s Day with my husband-to-be that I was able to truly appreciate the holiday.

Unfortunately, being in a relationship with someone isn’t always cure the Valentine’s Day blues.  Maybe your spouse doesn’t know how to pick out the right gift for the holiday.  Although you love the super-sized bag of your favorite candy, it doesn’t seem the right gift to represent your husband’s love to you on Valentine’s Day.  You find yourself staring at a bag of candy after a month of watching Kay Jewelers commercials full of smiling couples and wonder where it all went wrong.  We’ve all been there, haven’t we? It’s easy for our loved ones to fall short of our expectations, especially with a commercialized holiday like Valentine’s Day!

Maybe you’re not looking forward to the holiday this year because it’s your first Valentine’s Day as a widow or divorcee.  The holiday brings up painful memories for you that you’d rather forget.  Although you once celebrated the holiday with your loved one, you now find yourself alone and feeling lonely, bitter, depressed, or maybe even angry.

Whatever your reason for being a Valentine’s Day scrooge this year, boy do I have good news for you!

• You are not alone. God is with you always.  Deuteronomy 31:6 declares, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified… for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (NIV).
• You are deeply loved.  God loves you unconditionally.  His love knows no bounds.  Psalm 86:15 tells us, “But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” (NIV).
• A brighter future lies ahead.  One day we will live with God, and there will be no more sadness. Revelation 21:4 says, “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” (NLT).

The Bible is very clear that no matter our current circumstances, we can still have hope in God.  So, don’t let Valentine’s Day get you down this year!  Instead, concentrate on God’s love for you and rest in Him. Maybe this Valentine’s Day finds you single, widowed, separated, or you’re just not up to celebrating the holiday this year.  Whatever the case is, remember that you are desperately loved. Loved by a creator that longs to be your companion and comfort you.  He loves you more than anyone on this Earth could ever love you.  He is the greatest love of all.