For years every Valentine’s Day my hometown newspaper would print Valentines sent in by its subscribers. Some examples: To Clarice, I love you more than the first day of deer season! To Linda, I don’t need a lottery too, I’ve been a millionaire since I met you. To Dad, adopting me has made you the best valentine ever. I love you so much. Here’s my very favorite: To Theodore, you asked me 30 years ago to be your blushing bride. You promised furs and diamond rings, and a limo in which to ride. I made the payments on the ring, the fur is on the cat, the bank has repossessed the car, but I love you still you rat!

That same newspaper ran an article describing the romance between Angeline Kirkland and David Fuqua. They were engaged to be married 62 years earlier but David got cold feet and backed out of the engagement. Now they find themselves living in the same retirement home in Brewton, Alabama. David, 89, is once again pursuing Angeline, 78. He said, “I thought I had Angeline’s heart pretty well won, but if it ain’t, I’ll go to work at it. I dearly loved that heart but I jumped the track and let it get away from me.”

Love has nothing to do with age, or size, or color, or income, or appearance. It is the strongest force on earth. The Bible tells us that there are three qualities that last forever: faith, hope and love but the greatest, the Bible says, is love.

The writer of I John takes this even further. He makes perhaps the boldest statement in all scripture – he defines God. Nowhere else does the Bible attempt to define God, but I John 4:8 does. It says, “God is love.”

There are two truths about love that are rock solid based on this passage. The first is that you are loved. Whether you have realized it or not, claimed it or not, lived in light of it or not, God loves you and there is nothing you can do to make God love you less.

The second truth is that you are to be a loving person. As the Great Commandment says, love God and your neighbor as yourself. Child of God, today be the loving person you were destined to be.

Dear God, wipe away all bitterness in my heart. Free me to accept your love and to give love – both back to you and forward to others. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The devotion was written and recorded by Herb Sadler.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.