Valentine's for Singles - Pt 5

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:7-10 ESV).

All of our hearts long for love whether we know it or not. We were literally made to love. God is love. The key is always in how we perceive true love. Jesus’ encouragement that we love God with all our “heart, mind, and soul” (cf. Matthew 22:37) is a standard position for us to express our love toward God; however, it leaves us somewhat uninformed in knowing what that really should look like in our practice. Part of the problem is the very word “love” takes on so many meanings. We can say in one breath, "I love coffee. I love my spouse. I love Jesus." We really need to know what true love looks like, and more, what does it feel like. True love is more than a sensation, a feeling, a mission, or even a doctrine. True love is a genuine desire for the well-being of another. True love that brings glory to God is the very purpose of life and the existence of the church. Some will say that missions is the ultimate goal of the church: “The supreme task of the Church is the evangelization of the world. The mission of the church is missions” (Oswald J. Smith). Others will say it is worship: “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever” (John Piper). My understanding is that love is ultimate and that missions and worship are the outgrowth of that love. God commands His people to love Him with all their heart, soul, and strength. In Jesus’ “Great commandment” he says that we are to love the Lord our God with ALL of our heart, ALL of our soul, ALL of our mind, and ALL of our strength. ALL means ALL. Later He tells us that all men will know that we are His disciples by our love for one another. Then Paul explains in his letter to the Corinthians that faith, hope, and love are all lasting virtues, but the greatest of these three is love. According to God, Jesus, and Paul love appears to be the ultimate goal for us and therefore the church. So, I would encourage everyone, single or not, to be careful not to dread tomorrow. February 14th should be a day to look forward to as a special day God has given us to glorify him. Let’s be reminded to search for satisfaction in Christ. Let’s use our sadness to dwell on his sacrifice, purchase, and love for us. Let’s seize the day to pursue him!