Shari's Sentiments

No, I am not out of season, holiday or time. I know it is not Valentine’s Day – nor any other holiday – well besides July 4th. For many Americans this is an important holiday. And I am not still eating stale conversation hearts.

No I’m talking about a love story – there are many but this is no ordinary love story. It is special, it is never-ending, never-failing and true – sounds like 1 Corinthians 13. You would be very close in the nature of this – very close.

Think about love as it applies to you. Think about all of the times that you have heard the word love. Love, love, love, love, love….after hearing it so many times its just noise, words, sounds, lost meaning (and frankly trying to type it three or four times it was getting misspelled). Just like that love becomes just another four letter word.

What do you think about when you think about love? Do you see hearts and rose petals. Shades of red and pink. Heart shaped pillows and charm bracelets?  Do you think about long walks, long talks, meaningful content? Of is it all just fluff and celebration?

Love, however commercialized, is powerful, meaningful and deep. The lengths of love go much deeper than four letters and three words; I love you. 

When one is in love or feels love there are many more emotions that come along; vulnerability, fear, anger, pain, acceptance, joy, hope, peace, patience, comfort, rest, reassurance.  Ask anyone – all anyone really ever wants is to be loved, appreciated, cherished, forgiven and accepted.     

When I think about love as a child it was so simple. You loved everyone, accepted everyone and were nice to everyone. Then as the world became clear you realized that things weren’t so simple – they were more than hard. They were more than complicated they were complex. Intertwined, weaved into the very heart and soul love’s roots were deeply embedded. Why? I often ask myself that question. Why? Is this really love that I am feeling? (I think that was a song by Whitesnake in like 1984). 

As a teenager, ‘love- like’ things crossed my paths and came and went. The tears flowed and went. The hormones came and went. The emotions eventually matured and true love’s meaning entered my being and clung to my chest, like a clenched fist. Sounds scary?! Well, its feels scarier.

Yes, deeply rooted within me (and many of you) is the presence of a hope, a faith – a love so powerful that you can’t chase it away. If you think you have scared off the love of your life – you haven’t. No, surprisingly enough the Creator of the Universe, Creator of Humankind – God – loves us. Yes, he loves you and I. Surprised? I was too.

But I have known for a long time that you can’t run away from a love like God’s. It is true, it is magnificent, it is pure, it is deep, it is powerful, it is peaceful, it is so much more than any love one person could show to another. When the love of the Creator flows through you the love you have for others deepens. It’s meaning has new purpose and it never fades. It no longer becomes some toss away emotion or some lost four letter word. No, the love story that you have with God the Father, the Creator of heaven and earth, you and I is true, life changing and never-ending.

I chose this video because the slide show was created by junior high students.

I heard this song after a long standing, absence from church – it reminded me that although we sometimes forget or try to forget, God never forgets about us. God never stops loving us no matter how unloved we feel.

 He Loves Us by John Mark McMillan/David Crowder Band