Someone on the radio made an interesting correlation today. It was about how we as a society are pretty much unique in not giving much if any thought to any life beyond this one, thinking that this is all there is. We are also a society consumed with romantic love as a kind of salvation. Almost all our love songs speak to someone who can give us meaning and hope and make our lives make sense. How romantic love can save us. We are obsessed with the idea of falling in love.

Love is a great concept and a wonderful idea, but she makes a pretty poor idol. Love that we worship eventually turns to lust or hate or neediness or anything but the true love we think it is. But there is True Love that never disappoints or fails.

Jesus came as the perfect Embodiment of what Love really looks like. Every love song ever sung, every love sonnet ever compose finds its complete fulfillment in Jesus. He’s the one who truly gives meaning and hope and does more than make our lives make sense– He makes our lives shine!

Even the best marriages leave something to be desired, an ache and a longing that’s left despite all that we’ve been taught about how that special someone will complete you and bring you fulfillment. A sense of “Is this really all there is?” While marriage as God intended is a beautiful and poetic thing, it is a pale shadow of Christ and how much He loves His bride, the Church. True fulfillment and completeness comes in Christ and marriages find those things as the two draw nearer to each other by both passionately pursuing Christ.

The greatest love story ever told was when Jesus saw us from afar and set His affections on us. He set about wooing and winning our hearts by paying a price far beyond what He should have paid. The ultimate love song was a Man stretched out on a cross, blood pouring out, saying, “This much I love you.” It was His giving everything, holding nothing back, for you. For me. No greater love song will ever be written.

Know that today you are desirable, because Jesus desires an intimate relaltionship with you. Know that you are loved, with a fiery and untamed love much too big and too wild to have come from a merely human heart. Know that Someone is thinking about you today and that you matter to Him. You are wanted. You are loved. You are a treasure to Christ, because He gave you infinite worth when He died for you.

Let that be your Valentine. Jesus says, “You are Mine forever!”

Amen and amen!