You may not know this about me yet…
I love Valentines Day!
I love, LOVE! I love the idea that Valentines Day is based of St. Valentine who sacrificed himself to benefit others. I love that Valentines Day reminds me of God’s agape; God’s unconditional love!
I love that Valentines Day is just an excuse to remind those you love that you love them…
I love that we are COMPLETELY LOVED BY GOD and ushered by God to love God and
others! In the midst of all this love I find Jesus’ words here so challenging!
Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). Sometimes my conversation with God about this verse sounds something like this:
“God, are you serious about this? Really, you want us to love our enemies? To be kind to those who are not kind to us?”
And I hear God saying, “YES! EXACTLY! You are to love others. Whether they love you or not; you are to love them. I will always love you, even when you don’t love me. You are loved. Remain in my love. Let my love shine through you.” (John 13:34-35, 1 Cor 13, John 15:9, Matthew 5:16)
And in reply to God I say… “Okay, God I am hearing You, but I need help!!!”
Indeed, may we ALL grow in love this month with an ever-deep ending grasp of how completely God loves us as we are and commends us to share love with others; friend and foe alike.
Prayer of the month: God, You are LOVE! Help us to extend Your love to all we interact with. Fill us so full of Your love that Your love shines through in how we care for others. Give us desire to love those who are unkind to us and to pray for them too. Increase in us O God. In Jesus’ Name~ Amen.
-Pastor Bree Truax
(email: [email protected] or office: 815-625-3575, cell: 360-989-4906)