Traditionally, Valentine's Day is a romantic holiday. It's the day when guys buy flowers and chocolate for their girlfriends. Or the day when you buy yourself flowers and chocolate--either way is just fine. However you choose to spend Valentine's Day, love is probably on your mind. Whether you're thinking about the love you have, the love you lost, or the love you wish you had.
Whatever Valentine's Day looks like for you, we still must ask, "What is love?" Is it your boyfriend buying you chocolates, or is it your parents taking you out for dinner? Is it a friend who has been by your side for years, or is it words of affirmation given by someone close to you? All these things are beautiful, but there's a kind of love that we rarely talk about on the day of hearts. The Agape love of God: the greatest love the world has ever seen or known. Agape is Greek for "unconditional love."
This year, let's step away from the commercialized view of Valentine's Day and appreciate the love of our maker? Often, we overlook the all-surpassing love of God. As much as we hate to admit it, it's true. We all say we want to love like Jesus, but it's hard when we barely even know Him.
We say we want to have lasting relationships with the people we care about. But we barely have a relationship with the one who cares for our every need. During Valentine's Day, let's recognize and remember the incredible love that Jesus gives. He's the ultimate example of love. John 13:35 says that the world will know we're His disciples if we care about one another. He's the source of true and lasting love. Without loving Him, loving others would be challenging.
Today, let's dive deep into what God's love looks like (I have three songs to go with it). Do note that the listed songs are not lovey-dovey. They're more like fight songs. We're all in a fight, and we all need a transcendent love to get us through. This journey towards love, healing, and freedom isn't easy, but it's worth it. In fact, embracing the Agape love of God will be the most beautiful thing you'll ever do. There will be some hurdles along the way, like in any relationship. But it will always be worth it.
JUDAH, "i love You"
A common phrase among Christians is "Jesus loves you." We see it on stickers and T-shirts, and occasionally someone will say it to us. But in our fast-paced life and society, those words don't feel like they have much weight to them. It's just a cute saying that we write on a sticky note or tell someone who's going through a hard time. But these words are so much more than a button on someone's backpack or a sticker on someone's water bottle. The words "Jesus loves you" change everything.
We all know John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." This piece of Scripture has become a phrase almost as commonplace as Jesus loves you, but they go hand-in-hand. You see, Jesus loves us. Not just a little, He loves us a lot. In fact, He loves us all so much that he willingly chose to die for us. Not only that, but He even chose to have a relationship with us.
All other world religions say you have to work your way up to whatever god you serve. Christianity is the only religion where our God came down to us. We don't have to earn this love, it's just given to us freely. Have you ever considered that before? You don't need to grab God's attention, you already have it. You are His child. His masterpiece. He's crazy about you, and He's madly in love with you. There's absolutely no end to His love, and there's no stopping it.
Lately, I've been obsessed with a song by singer/songwriter JUDAH called "i love You." The song captures the idea that God's love for us is even greater than our love for Him. His love is incomparable. There's simply nothing like it. One line, in particular, stands out to me: "My 'I love You' back feels so inadequate/When You love me like that/And I hate that it's all that I have/It pales in comparison/But it's all that You ask."
We'll never be able to love God the way He loves us. But He already knows that. And He still wants the love that we do have inside of us. His love pales in comparison to ours, but He's okay with that. At the end of the day, He just wants our hearts. He wants our undivided attention and full devotion.
On the days when you feel like you're unworthy and unloveable, remember the truth that God will always love you unconditionally. Your "I love You" back might feel inadequate, but it's all He wants. And it's all that you have. So let it out--tell Him how much you love Him. He already told you 2,000 years ago on a hill called Golgotha how much He loves you, and He won't stop reminding you of it until the day when You see the face of love for yourself.
"I don't understand I don't comprehend/I can't find the words to make sense of it/Your love like the horizon that will never end/That gives no condition of returning it/Who could ever doubt that Your love is true/So all You'll freely give let it come back to You/So let my praise be like a wave of sweet perfume/Always coming back, poured out and wasted on You."
Switchfoot, "Let Your Love Be Strong"
So we know that God loves us. But what do we do when everything around us is falling apart? Is God's love strong enough to carry us even through difficult times? Some days it can feel like God is a million miles away, and He doesn't hear our cry for help. Those moments can feel scary and uncomfortable.
It's easy to start doubting that God even exists. But the truth is, His plans aren't like ours. He may seem silent at the moment, but He's actually closer than we know. We may feel like God isn't speaking, but He's actually writing a story. Our lives are always changing and evolving, and sometimes that process is painful.
But every hard day is part of this beautiful story that God is writing. He's the author, and we're the character. He's the artist, and we're the canvas. We can't change what He's going to do, but we can know for certain that whatever He does is going to be good.
Many songs by the rock band Switchfoot have carried me through a lot of hard days. In my own life, I've experienced a lot of changes and moments of pain--especially over the last few years. My family has experienced loss and struggles. But through every single uncomfortable change, there's one thing I know: God's love is still strong, even when our world is flipped upside down. There's a line in Switchfoot's song "Let Your Love Be Strong" that says, "Let Your love be strong, and I don't care what goes down/Let Your love be strong enough to weather through the thunder clouds."
You might feel like everything in your life has changed. I've felt that way a lot. And the truth is, things are always going to be changing. But at the end of the day, it's all for our good. God knows what He's doing, and although our situations might be changing, He always stays the same.
There is a love stronger than our circumstances. An unconditional love that will never let us go. I've needed the reminder of this truth more times than I can count. On both my good days and bad days, I need a love that is greater than my circumstances. I need a firm foundation. Something strong and steady to stand on when chaos ensues. Thankfully, there is a love that is all those things and more. His name is Jesus.
"Fury and thunderclap/Like stealing the fire from your eyes /All of my world hanging on Your love."
Phil Wickham, "Falling In Love"
When God created the universe, He didn't make it without purpose. He was intentional with it. He made the stars, the ocean, grass, birds, and thousands of tiny details for a reason. He made it all to reflect His majesty; He made everything so he could receive honor and glory. But does that make God selfish? Not at all. Author and pastor Louie Giglio once said, "God is not an egotist seeking more than He deserves from us. Rather, He is God, choosing, in worship, to reward us with Himself." God is worthy of all of our praise and worship simply because He is God, and He is good. He created us to reflect and worship Him.
Love and worship go hand-in-hand. We always tend to elevate the person we love the most. We would do anything for them. Although we might not view this as worship, and there's nothing inherently wrong with it, we're still giving some level of glory to that one special person we love. In the same way, God wants us to exalt Him. And He's given us a million reasons why He's worthy of our worship.
Worship artist Phil Wickham has a song called "Falling In Love," and it's all about that. It's about the incredible ways that God displays His beauty, and how the more we praise Him, the more we'll fall in love with Him. My favorite line is "For the stars at night/Every sunset sky/For it all, oh God I say I love You." Creation echoes the beauty and majesty of our savior.
Everywhere we look, there's another reason to fall in love and praise Him. It's something we were made for. Just look out at the vast array of stars tonight and think of the incredible creator behind them. In Job 38:31, God indicates that He holds the constellations in their place. The same God who hung the stars loves you infinitely more than them. He loves you, and He made you to love Him.
How can we help but love God when we see all of the things He's created? He formed the Grand Canyon and the craters on the moon. He made galaxies that haven't even been discovered yet. He orchestrated the ocean waves and designed every single flower. And He made you. With everything he made, His intention was for everything to give Him praise. And how can we not praise Him when we see all that He's done?
Today, take some time to step outside, look at the trees and how their leaves blow in the wind. Watch the sunset dipping down into the horizon. God has given you a million reasons to fall in love with Him--and He's already madly in love with you.
"The more I praise You/The more I want to/I'm falling in love/Falling in love with You."
Grace Chaves has been a fan of all things Christian music since 2016. She is NRT's news editor, and one of NRT's youngest writers. Homeschooled, Grace is an author, loves Jesus, concerts, and road trips.
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