What's Love got to do with it?!?* This coming week the world celebrates Valentines day…and its all about LOVE. In fact, stores have been promoting it for a few weeks now. Red and pink everywhere. Roses…and chocolate…lots and lots of chocolate. Schools will be having parties and restaurants will be offering romantic dinners. But what does love look like? Is it just about the cards, chocolate, flowers, romantic music, and dinner for two? Why all this big to do about love? Perhaps it is because from the very beginning LOVE is at the center of the universe. That the one who “spoke creation’s story” did so out of an overflow of love. In the old testament God speaks of his steadfast and faithful love (Exodus 34:6-7), how he has engraved us on the palms of his hands (Isaiah 49:16) and loved us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). Zephaniah (3:17) tells us that this same God “will rejoice over us with gladness; he will quiet us by his love; he will exult over us with loud singing.” But this love is not one sided…God call us to love him with all our heart (Deuteronomy 6:5) and to love each other as well (Leviticus 19:8). The New Testament carries the theme of love forward telling us that God so loved the world that he gave his son (John 3:16) and that He shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:4-5). Paul tells us that nothing in this world (or out of it) can separate us form the love God in Christ (Romans 8:35-39). Again, this is not a one-sided love. Jesus calls us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44) and that there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for a friend John 15:13). Our Lord calls us to love as he loves us (John 13:34; Ephesians 5:2). So yes…this LOVE thing is a big deal. Too big for one day in February. Why not spend yourself in love: to the God who loves you throughout eternity and to each other as well! (Chocolate and flowers optional.) Blessings, Matthew+ *reprinted from 02/12/2020 O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept our prayers; and because in our weakness we can do nothing good without you, give us the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments we may please you both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP p. 216) | 
