Rev. Chism's Weekly Message

"He is the same one who shone in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory in the face of Jesus Christ." - 2 Corinthians 4:3-6

Valentine's Day falls on Sunday this year. Chocolate, flowers, Valentine's Day cards, and stuff like that, you know. Love is once more in the air for all the lovebirds out there. But so are the lonely ones who are reminded that they haven't met that special someone. If you fit this latter category you can still eat chocolate.

Love was in the air when God sent Jesus. If we read the Bible from the beginning to the end, we will be reminded that God loves us. In that love, God got frustrated with humanity as well. But the love has never ceased. And it is good to feel loved, right?

The Early Church was getting its wings and learning about how God-love works. You had gentiles, or the non-Jewish folk, learning how God loves them. You also had Jewish folk who had accepted Jesus who learned about a new way of interpreting this unmerited love. Paul was inspired to describe it in words.

Paul says with love comes knowledge. He compares it to a blind heart that is given light and begins to understand. Think of a person who thinks others do not love him. Then he finds out about Jesus and is enlightened. A lot of people, when they understand this revelation, may have an easier time loving themselves.

Agape love is God's love. It knows no bounds. Different then our lovey-dovey passion, it is a love that transcends time itself. It's the kind of love like a person who would do anything so that person knows. Sounds like Jesus, right?

God's love has no prerequisites. It is what is and sometimes it is hard to fathom. The love we share with individuals has to meet certain requirements. That is not a bad thing. It is just not the same kind of love we receive from God.

The love we practice here is based on expectations. Yeah, we should all have expectations, but a lot of times we set ourselves up for failures. Marriages and other types of relationships end because one or both parties feel disappointed in the other. And that hurts.

The thing is none of us is perfect. Maybe that is why we have a hard time understanding this unmerited love God gives us through his only Son. It can be perplexing to the human mind that we would be given something free. We have been given it and it is something we learn about as we follow Christ.

Love is not easy. If I go back to Scripture, all the love God gave humanity was often not reciprocated. You have most like been in at least one relationship where you felt this way. It hurt, right?

Paul tells the Corinthians that God's light has shined into the darkness that often may reside in our hearts (or soul.) It brings knowledge. The face of Jesus is seen when we love. It's something when we grow in trying to understand this love. Love from God is revealed to us every day as we come out of the fog of not knowing.

Do you know people who have a hard time accepting a gift? I know a few. Every once in a while, I'm that person. I feel like I don't deserve it.

God doesn't work this way. We receive the gift every day. It's a gift of love that we learn through Jesus. The Holy Spirit empowers us to grow in this love and flourish. It's the kind of love that rescues and inspires. And once we learn to share it with others, the world changes and changes.

Thank you, God, for the chocolate, the flowers, and the cards. May your love for us come back to you. Thank you for helping us love others and ourselves. Thank you for showing us love through Jesus.

Happy Valentine's Day, God!

Stay Safe,

Rev. Baxter