Remember His Love

In elementary school, Valentine's Day parties were always my favorite. I enjoyed getting 20 boxes of those conversation hearts - who doesn't love solidified sugar in second grade? I also have fond memories of decorating an empty Kleenex box with my mom - making it transform into a beautiful, love-colored mailbox. (To be honest, every February, I'm tempted to create a Valentine's box just because I can.) I also liked picking which classmate received what Valentine . . . and you had to be careful about it; otherwise, Boy #1 might realize you're crushing on him when he's not supposed to know and Boy #2 might think you're crushing on him. But alas, elementary school comes to a close for most of us and such parties cease to be. And although I don't get to celebrate Valentine's Day like I did in second grade, I definitely have a better understanding of this wonderful thing called love.

Ezekiel 16 paints an incredible picture of God's love for us. I encourage you to stop reading this blog, grab your Bible, and read the entire chapter. It's humbling to do so . . . to realize our condition before the Lord saved us, before He redeemed us with His blood. It's mind-boggling to consider all that He has done for us even though we are beyond unworthy. And unfortunately, it's heart-wrenching to consider how we treat this precious gift of His love towards us.

"'As for your birth, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed with cleansing; you were not rubbed with salt or even wrapped in cloths. No eye looked with pity on you to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you. Rather you were thrown out into the open field, for you were abhorred on the day you were born.When I passed by you and saw you squirming in your blood, I said to you while you were in your blood, 'Live!' . . . I also swore to you and entered into a covenant with you so that you became Mine . . .Then I bathed you with water, washed off your blood from you and anointed you with oil. I also clothed you with embroidered cloth and put sandals of porpoise skin on your feet; and I wrapped you with fine linen and covered you with silk. I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your hands and a necklace around your neck. I also put a ring in your nostril, earrings in your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. . .Then your fame went forth among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was perfect because of My splendor which I bestowed on you . . . But you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot because of your fame, and your poured out your harlotries on every passer-by who might be willing . . . You also took your beautiful jewels made of My gold and of My silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself male images that you might play the harlot with them. . . Moreover, you took your sons and daughters whom you had borne to Me and sacrificed them to idols to be devoured. . .Besides all your abominations and harlotries you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare and squirming in your blood.'" (Ezekiel 16:4-6, 8-12, 14-15, 17, 20, 22 - emphasis added)

It isn't comfortable to remember our past sins. And we don't need to live in guilt because the Lord throws our sins on the bottom of the ocean floor when we come to Him in repentance (Micah 7:19). Yet how important it is for us to remember. To remember what we were before the Lord came along; to remember from how great a danger He has saved us. As we remember that, His love and grace seem to become so much stronger, so much greater, and so much sweeter.

This Valentine's Day, whether you snuggle up with a sweetheart or your teddy bear, remember to meditate on the great, great love of God the Father towards you. Remember what you have been saved from. Rejoice in the wonderful love of our Savior. And never cease giving Him thanks for that love that passes all comprehension.