I hope you recognize Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to share expressions of your love. While the holiday is commercialized, there is value and significance as a culture in recognizing love, romance, and those who occupy unique and special places in our lives. So be sure and take advantage of this Valentine’s Day to share your love. We typically do that through giving gifts. We exchanges cards to tell our love in words. We purchase flowers, chocolate, jewelry, or other gifts to show our love.
This got me to thinking about what gifts we offer to God. What if this year you celebrated Valentine’s Day not just to your love on earth, but also to your love in heaven. What gifts would you give to God?
First, you could write God a card. You could recount the many ways God has loved you this year. You could offer your thanksgiving for His love and adoration. Your card could tell how grateful you are for the sacrifice of His son on Calvary’s cross. Your card could profess your undying love for and commitment to Him. How do you mail your card to God? You simply open your heart to God in prayer and read your card to God, like a young child reading and offering her father a Valentine’s card she made.
Second, you could offer God worship. Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday this year. You should be in church! God desires your worship (John 4:23). You give the “fruit of your lips” in singing praises to God (Heb. 13:15). You listen to His word, pray fervent prayers, and lift up your heart in adoration. The greek term for worship means “to kiss towards.” This Sunday, be sure you “kiss towards” God in worship!
Third, you could use your money to give God a gift. God doesn’t need anything material, after all He owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Ps 50:10). But He does ask for us to give to others in HIs name. Like the poor widow who gave all she had to the Lord as a gift of her love and adoration (Lk 21:1-4). Mary offered an expensive ointment to Christ in preparation for his burial. Her extravagant gift was seen as an acts of worship and honor (Mat. 26:6-12). This Valentine’s Day you can offer a monetary gift to God by helping a friend in need, giving to a food ministry, sending money to a missionary, or giving your contribution to the church. Your monetary gift is the “proof of your love” (2 Cor. 8:24). It says, “I love you Lord!”
This Valentine’s Day, I hope you express and enjoy the day with your sweetheart. I hope you bask in the glory of love. But more importantly, I hope you will reflect upon the great love God has given you. I hope you will choose to express that love back to Him. “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19)
