Paula considers herself an ordinary Christian woman traversing through the wilderness of an everyday mess. She is a retired Social Worker with a BSW who lives in Western Pennsylvania with her emotional support dog, a spoiled rotten amusing beagle named Little Girl. She has two adult daughters off doing their own thing. Please visit her blog at: https://simplycoffeeandjesus.com/
W H AT ’ S LO V E G OT TO D O W I T H I T ?
By Paula Short
Admit it; you sang the title when you read it. It’s okay, so did I when I thought of it. Tina Turner sings that love is a second-hand emotion, and who needs it because hearts become broken. Every February, couples, lovers, and friends alike gear up to affirm their love and friendship for one another on Valentine’s Day. Dinner reservations are made, jewelry and gifts bought, chocolates and Hallmark cards sent. Some may go dancing, to a movie or spend a quiet evening at home. And wine may accompany the evening. According to The National Retail Foundation, Americans spent nearly $20 billion in 2019. And Hallmark says a whopping 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged each year. One 2013 Huffington Post article revealed their survey findings that nearly 6 million people get engaged on Valentine’s day. If we want to get down to the heart of the matter, over two thousand years ago, a man came to love us all in a way that we can not love each other. God the Father sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to us; He humbly became one of us. He related to us and we to Him.
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God knew we were going to mess up right from the start and He already had the plan of our salvation made—to send Jesus, who knew no sin to be sin, our sin, to be a sacrifice and die a physical death, to take our punishment upon himself. His blood bought us our salvation. Jesus showed His love for us by serving, blessing, and showing grace. Jesus served and demonstrated His love for others by healing the sick and raising the dead. He taught us through parables so we could understand. He gave his life, forgave our sins, gave hope to us, the hopeless, and fed thousands. He fed the poor, threw out demons, gave new life, and embraced people that society condemned. He served, loved, taught, and washed His disciple’s feet. Jesus is the most extraordinary love story ever told. Why? Simply put, love. John 3:16 tells us that God loves us so unbelievably much that He sent Jesus His only son so that those who believe in Him will not be destroyed. He loves us so much He wants to give us eternal life, living water so that we can be with Him forever.
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