Got Love?

“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” ~Isaiah 55:1

This past week many of you celebrated Valentine’s Day — that wonderful holiday when love is commemorated by sweethearts who delight in each other’s affection. Memories of wedding days, first dates, and old gifts given and received are brought to the forefront of our minds. New love is likewise celebrated by those who will mark Valentine’s Day for the first time as husband and wife. It truly is a wonderful day… for those who have someone to call their sweetheart. But for others, it’s one of the most painful holidays on the calendar — even for those who have previously celebrated Valentine’s Day with their spouse or significant other. Death and breakups have a way of making even chocolate taste bad.

The reality is this: while many have someone to love, others are starving for love. Sadly, even some who are married feel like they’re starving for love. Not to put too great a damper on this delightful holiday, but aren’t we all actually starving for perfect love? The best love we can experience with another person is limited by sin. So while there are truly healthy and happy marriages, we let our spouses down frequently, and they let us down as well. In the final analysis, we’re all starving for true, pure, perfect, endless, glorious love.

Where, then, can we find satisfaction — satiation — for true love’s appetite? It can only be found in the One who is love. The Bible tells us in 1 John 4:8 that “God is love.” He alone is true, pure, perfect, endless, glorious love! And He has shown His love for us in His Son, Jesus Christ (1 John 4:9). What’s more, He invites us to share in that love freely through Jesus. We don’t need to earn His love. We don’t need to work hard to keep His love. We don’t need to achieve a level of lovability before He will give us His love. He calls us to come to the waters of His love and drink until we are full. He invites us to eat the food of His love until we are stuffed to the brim! And all without price, all without cost. “What wondrous love is this!” the hymn writer marveled.

So perhaps this week has been difficult for you. You don’t have a sweetheart with whom to share your love. You don’t have anyone doting on you with unbridled affection. Or maybe you have that person, but they’ve let you down again (as you’ve certainly let them down, too). Stop looking for a man or woman, or a boy or girl, to be what only God in Christ Jesus can be for you. Stop looking for satisfaction in a Valentine’s Day gift. Look for love at the cross. Look for love in the One who is love. Look to Jesus, and experience His love without measure.

Rev. Kyle Lockhart, Associate Pastor