
I remember the Valentine’s Day rituals as exceptionally stressful as a kid. You had to pick out just the right candy and card mixture. Did you go with something you liked, like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, or something that would appeal to the masses, like Snoopy and Woodstock? Some Valentines were extravagant; others were simpler; some looked expensive, while others were handcrafted.
You wanted everyone to like your cards, and you were sure all your friends would, but what if they didn’t? Sadly, it probably engrained a sense of commerce into our concept of love. Giving the “right” gift was the socially expected way to express affection. As I have gotten older, I have realized that love is not dependent on gifts and cards but is something far deeper.
Love is a complex concept. It can be a noun, verb, emotion, or even a state of being. Because of its complexity, we struggle with how to interpret or explain it well. Often, we take a page from the apostle John as he states, “God is love.” (1 John 4:8,16). At least, this phrase gives us a starting point. If God is love, then if I imitate God I will be practicing love. It allows me to put some parameters on an intricate construct. What I find fascinating about love is although it is challenging to describe, we all know it well, either when we receive it or when we don’t. We know when we feel loved and perhaps more intensely when we feel unloved.
The remarkable thing is that scripture reminds us continually that God’s love is truer than ours. It is not only that God loves us but that He is faithful in His love. And rightfully so, He is not one-dimensional with His love but resolute and continual. As Paul writes, nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39). If God cannot reduce His love for us, we must become consistent with our interpretation of His love. This is how David reflects on this thought in Psalm 69.
Psalm 69:13-17 – “But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me in your saving faithfulness. 14 Deliver me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters. 15 Let not the flood sweep over me, or the deep swallow me up, or the pit close its mouth over me. 16 Answer me, O LORD, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me. 17 Hide not your face from your servant, for I am in distress; make haste to answer me.”
David feels as though he is enduring a situation too difficult to bear. So, he calls after God—the One who is always faithful. Whatever David is dealing with seems insurmountable, like he is cornered and drowning. However, he does not sit in a pit of despair; he looks to God to provide an escape, salvation, and an answer.
What we discover is that God is faithful regardless of our circumstances. We can call out to him in our darkest moments. It is not based on whether or not I had the perfect Valentine gift, or if He was already my friend. What we can be sure of is that He is love and a faithful love. He is the one we can lean on if there is no one else. We can call out to Him, we can search for His face, and we will find him. For God’s love is a Faithful Love.