Since it's still February

I started this post about a week ago, but I felt like I needed a few more days to mull over the words.

Valentine's day, for better or for worse, turns our minds to thoughts of love, affection, relationships.

When we think of love, we (I) tend to think of it in respect to how it makes us feel, or what it does for us (me). How being loved is a good thing for us. When I feel loved, I also experience feelings of security, safety, and assurance of my identity. As wonderful as Nicholas is, his love cannot do any of that perfectly. That's too much to ask and expect from another person.

I've been playing the new song, Home by Bethel Music continually as I drive to and from work the past few days. In light of Valentine's Day, I've been thinking about the surest love that is available to all people, as children of God. True love that requires faithfulness and trust and sacrifice on our part, and also the only love that will never, and could not ever disappoint us. I cannot stop thinking of these lyrics:

If you trust Jesus with your everything (your heart, your future, your plans, your loved ones) I cannot promise that you'll be wading into known waters, but I can promise that they are the clearest and the most sure waters. Uncharted by us, perhaps, but not by the Creator of the world. I don't believe in the living redemption of Jesus Christ because it's comfortable or easy. These waters are not necessarily safe.  But once I tasted the love of Christ (as my heart was made to do), I could not turn away. And I can move forward with confidence knowing we cannot be eternally harmed if we trust our Guide.

Our hearts will continue to yearn—and not be truly be satisfied by anything—until we know & trust Jesus

because our hearts were created to need a love that we cannot get from any person or earthly pursuit.

It's usually a good thing when I let words settle before posting them. I just read these words from Piper this morning that echo this sentiment (and say it better than I do).

Take heart, if you have faith in Jesus, God Himself says to you, 'You are greatly loved.' We were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. [...] This is better than an angel's voice. If you are 'alive,' you are greatly loved.

Without him, I cannot experience true, lasting joy. But with Him, my joy comes not from what I can do, but from what He's already done.

Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, is of infinite importance. C.S. Lewis