Our Forever Valentine

Flipping through some old journals last week I came across the following entry, dated 2/14/02. Thinking it a timely discovery, I post it here in hopes it will encourage each of our hearts to look past the fulfillment we long for in a boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse to the only One who truly fulfills...our Forever Valentine.

2/14/2002

My Saviour loves me every day of the year, not just one...and for that I am thankful. How do I know He loves me? He chose me eons ago, before the creation of this world. Before the mountains stately stood or the oceans waved their water, He chose me. He sacrificed His all, Himself, for me...He so desperately desired to be with me forever that He sent His Son to die for me. He waited for me. For almost 18 years I ran from Him, but He kept chasing me. The day I fell into His loving embrace He threw a huge celebration because I had returned to Him.

He listens to me. Never, even when I talk for hours, barely letting Him get a word in edgewise, does He tire of listening to my heart. He gives me presents every day. In the form of blessings, my Lover showers me with gifts. When I am scared, He soothes me. When I lay down in bed after a long, arduous day, He caresses my hair and lulls me to sleep. When I am lonely, He holds my hand and lets me feel His embrace. When I cry, He doesn't make me feel silly, but cries alongside me. When I am angry with those around me, He gently reminds me that they are only human and make mistakes. When I am angry with Him, He listens, and then reminds me that I too am only human and can't understand His plans.

He promises me things - and I know I can hold Him to those promises. He tells me He'll never leave me, not even when I ignore Him, when I turn my back on Him, or when I start to put somebody above Him. He lives within me. He has given Himself to me. He wrote me the most wonderful love letter and shows me new things in it daily that assure me more and more of His undying love. I get a lump in my throat when I'm around Him because He created me to be attracted to Him. He loves to dance with me - even if I do have two left feet. Though others might want to run away when I sing, He never does - He'd listen to me for hours. He is planning on sharing His inheritance with me. When I do something I shouldn't and put my desires above His, He still looks at me with eyes of kindness and love. He has given me the capacity to not fear loving others - and has shown me that He delights when I do show them love. He has given me children and has entrusted it to me to raise them with His authority.

He has given me THE most beautiful engagement ring and asked me to wear it around my heart. The ring He gave me has a name - the Holy Spirit - and this ring serve as a reminder to me of the things that are to come. He told me that even though He had to go away for awhile, He WILL come back. And when He does, He has plans to sweep me off my feet and to carry me to be with Him forever in the place He is currently constructing for us.

To Him, it's not what I look like on the outside that matters - because He has plans to give me a new body anyway...He care about what is on my inside - and only He has the power to see. He has promised that He will continue to work on me...slowly forming me to be more like Him - which I think is fabulous. I love that He loves me - this day and every day.

Thank you, Jesus, for being the best Valentine a girl could ever ask for.

Amen, thank you Jesus.