HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!- HAS EVERYONE RECEIVED SOMETHING SPECIAL FROM THEIR SWEETIE TODAY?  I GOT SOMETHING SPECIAL FROM MY SWEETIE THIS MORNING- FIRST THING THIS MORNING, I WOKE UP AND SHE WOKE UP WITH ME.  SHE RAN OUTSIDE TO DO SOME BUSINESS AND THEN GAVE ME A BIG SLURPING KISS WITH HER TONGUE ALL OVER MY NOSE -  BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER I SHOULD EXPLAIN THAT SWEETIE IS OUR DOG.-  I DO WISH EACH OF YOU A HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY TODAY AND I HOPE THAT  YOU HAVE NICE DAY WITH YOUR SWEETIE -

TODAY IS THE DAY WE CELEBRATE LOVE-

 LOVE IS SOMETHING WE ALL LONG FOR- POETS AND PHILOSOPHERS HAVE WRITTEN  AND DREAMED ABOUT IT FOR CENTURIES- THOUSANDS OF SONGS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN AND SUNG ABOUT THIS DEEP LONGING WE HAVE TO BE LOVED,   SONGS SUCH AS “ONLY YOU” BY THE PLATTERS OR “LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDID THING.”    THE TEMPTATIONS CROONED ABOUT “MY GIRL”  THE FOUR TOPS SANG “BABY I  NEED YOUR LOVIN.”   THE BEATLES SANG “ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE.”   ELVIS PRESLEY SOFTLY BEGGED “TO LOVE HIM TENDER.  IN THE 70’S THE MUSIC GROUP QUEEN  GAVE THE ULTIMATE PLEA FOR LOVE IN THEIR SONG-“ SOMEBODY TO LOVE”  WHERE THE SINGER SOMBERLY ASKS “CAN ANYBODY FIND ME SOMEBODY TO LOVE,”

WE ALL LONG TO BE  LOVED, TO BE SPECIAL IN SOMEONE’S EYES AND SOMEONE’S HEART.   SOMEHOW WE FEEL INCOMPLETE IF WE DON’T FEEL LOVED.  YET DEEP, LONG-LASTING LOVE CAN OFTEN  BE VERY ELUSIVE FOR US.

INDEED, A WHOLE INDUSTRY  HAS RISEN AND PROSPERED WITH COMPANIES SUCH AS E-HARMONY WHO GUARANTEE TO HELP YOU FIND YOUR ONE TRUE LOVE OR BETTER YET, YOU’RE “SOUL MATE.”

BUT MAYBE A BETTER QUESTION FOR US TO ASK IS “CAN ANYBODY FIND ME THE BEST KIND OF LOVE”  THE LOVE THAT TRULY LASTS.  THE LOVE THAT WE CAN ALWAYS DEPEND UPON.  THE LOVE THAT TRULY SATISFIES.

LOVE CAN TAKE MANY FORMS IN OUR WORLD-

WE CAN SAY WE LOVE THINGS, OR PLACES-   WE MAY SAY WE LOVE PIZZA OR WE LOVE A GOOD STEAK OR WE LOVE A HOT CUP OF COFFEE ON A COLD MORNING- OR WE MAY SAY THAT WE LOVE GOING TO THE BEACH OF THE MOUNTAINS- AND WHILE THESE THINGS MAY PROVIDE US WITH A BRIEF FEELING OF WHOLENESS OR WELLNESS- THESE FEELINGS ARE ALWAYS TEMPORARY THEY DO NOT LAST THEY DO NOT SATISFY. 

THE GREEKS USED THE WORD EROS TO DESCRIBE THIS TYPE OF LOVE- THE LOVE OF SOMEONE OR SOMETHING BECAUSE THE OBJECT BEING LOVED IS OF GREAT WORTH TO US- THIS IS LOVE FOR SOMEONE OR SOMETHING BECAUSE WE FEEL THEY CAN SATISFY OUR DESIRES, AT LEAST TEMPORARILY.  THIS TYPE OF LOVE ASKS “WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?” 

EROS CAN BE THEY TYPE OF LOVE A TEENAGE BOY OR AN OLDER BOY HAS FOR A PRETTY RED SPORTS CAR- THIS MIGHT BE THE KIND OF LOVE A MAN MAY HAVE FOR A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN

 THIS IS THE KIND OF LOVE A LADY MAY HAVE FOR THE PRETTY DRESS IN THE WINDOW OR LEONARDO DE CAP RIO-  IT MAY DESCRIBE  THE LOVE I HAVE FOR A WELL-COOKED CHEESEBURGER- AND WHILE THESE THINGS  LIKE ENJOYING A SHINY CAR, A PRETTY DRESS OR EVEN A WELL-COOKED CHEESEBURGER ARE GOOD THINGS AND ARE ALL WONDERFUL CREATIONS OF GOD, OUR LOVE FOR THEM IS CONDITIONAL- WE LOVE THEM ONLY AS LONG AS THEY SATISFY OUR DESIRES - ONCE THE  PRETTY WOMAN OR THE HUNK OF A MOVIE STAR LOSES THEIR ATTRACTIVENESS OR THE RED SPORTS CAR STARTS TO SPUTTER AND SLOW- THEN WE SOMEHOW LOSE OUR LOVE FOR THEM.   

A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS CAN BE FOUND IN A PARABLE YOU MIGHT BE FAMILIAR WITH – IT’S RELATED BY PASTOR JOHN ORTBERG .   HERE NOW- THE PARABLE OF THE HAPPY MEAL-

ONCE THERE WAS A YOUNG GIRL WHO’S PARENTS TOOK HER TO THE SHRINE OF THE GOLDEN ARCHES.  THERE SHE SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUY A COMBINATION OF FOOD AND A LITTLE TOY THAT SOMEONE IN A FIT OF MARKETING GENIUS NAMED THE HAPPY MEAL

MAY I HAVE IT PLEASE? SHE ASKED HER PARENTS.  I MUST HAVE IT. I DON’T THINK I COULD LIVE WITHOUT IT

NO HER PARENTS TOLD HER.  IT’S NOT IN THE BUDGET.  WE CAN’T DO IT.

BUT YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND SHE THOUGHT.  SHE KNEW THAT THEY WOULD NOT JUST BE BUYING FRIES, MCNUGGETS AND A DINOSAUR STAMP, THEY WOULD BE BUYING HAPPINESS.   SO SHE EXPLAINED- I WANT THE HAPPY MEAL MORE THAN I’VE EVER WANTED ANYTHING BEFORE, AND IF I GET IT ILL NEVER ASK FOR ANYTHING AGAIN- EVER-  I’LL BE CONTENT FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE-

THIS SEEMED LIKE A GOOD DEAL FOR HER PARENTS SO THEY BOUGHT IT.   AND IT WORKED

SHE GREW UP TO BE A CONTENTED GRATEFULLY JOYFUL WOMAN – SHE LIVED WITH SERENITY AND GRACE- HER LIFE IN MANY WAYS WAS HARD.  THE MAN SHE MARRIED TURNED OUT TO BE A LOUSE AND HE ABANDONED HER WITH THREE SMALL CHILDREN AND NO MONEY.  THE KIDS WERE A DISAPPOINTMENT- THEY DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL, SPONGED OFF HER MEAGER RESOURCES AND EVENTUALLY LEFT WITHOUT A TRACE.

 BUT SHE NEVER COMPLAINED.  SHE HAD GOTTEN THE HAPPY MEAL.  SHE WOULD THINK OF IT OFTEN- I REMEMBER THAT HAPPY MEAL SHE SAYS TO HERSELF WHAT GREAT JOY I FOUND THERE.  JUST AS SHE HAD PREDICTED, HER LOVE FOR HER HAPPY MEAL BROUGHT HER TRUE LASTING SATISFACTION.  SHE WAS GRATEFUL THE REST OF HER LIFE.   DOES LIFE EVERY WORK OUT THAT WAY? NO OF COURSE NOT-

OF COURSE ONLY A CHILD WOULD BE SO NAIVE.  ONLY A CHILD COULD BE FOOLISH ENOUGH TO BELIEVE THAT LOVING A HAPPY MEAL COULD BRING LASTING CONTENTMENT- OR MAYBE NOT- MAYBE WHEN WE GET OLDER, OUR HAPPY MEALS JUST GET MORE EXPENSIVE.   THIS IS EROS LOVE

EROS LOVE IS DEFINITELY NOT THE BEST LOVE

WE CAN SAY WE HAVE LOVE FOR FRIENDS- WE MAY HAVE FRIENDS THAT WE FEEL WE CAN SHARE ANYTHING WITH  AND WHO WOULD STAND BESIDE US NO MATTER WHAT- AND IT IS CERTAINLY GOOD TO HAVE SUCH CLOSE FRIENDS-    LOVE FOR FRIENDS CAN BE A GOOD LOVE, IT’S A WONDERFUL CREATION OF GOD,  BUT IT’S NOT THE BEST LOVE

WE CAN SAY WE LOVE OUR FAMILY MEMBERS- OUR PARENTS, OUR CHILDREN, OUR SPOUSES-  MANY OF YOU WHO HAVE HAD CHILDREN MAY REMEMBER HOW YOUR HEART LEAPED FOR JOY WHEN YOUR CHILDREN WOULD SAY TO YOU “MOMMY/DADDY, I LOVE YOU THIS MUCH!” 

AND WHILE IT IS TRUE THAT  THE LOVE WE HAVE FOR ALL OF THESE SPECIAL PEOPLE IN OUR LIVES CAN BE A VERY SELFLESS- SACRIFICING LOVE,  AND THAT THE LOVE WE HAVE FOR OUR FAMILIES CAN BE A GOOD LOVE,  IT TOO IS A WONDERFUL CREATION OF GOD,  IT’S STILL NOT THE BEST LOVE

SO WHAT IS THE BEST LOVE- THE LOVE THAT ALWAYS SATISFIES, THE LOVE THAT ENDURES FOREVER?

THAT IS THE LOVE GOD HAS FOR US-   WHAT KIND OF LOVE DOES GOD HAVE FOR US- OUR NEW TESTAMENT READING THIS MORNING  TELLS US THAT ALL LOVE COMES FROM GOD- THAT GOD’S VERY BEING IS THAT OF LOVE. 

THE BIBLE ITSELF  HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS THE WORLD’S BEST LOVE LETTER- A LOVE LETTER FROM GOD TO MANKIND-  A LOVE LETTER FROM GOD TO YOU AND I.  A VERY SPECIAL VALENTINE- IF YOU WOULD FROM GOD TO WE AS HIS CHURCH AND TO EACH OF US PERSONALLY .  A VALENTINE LIKE THE ONE YOU SEE HERE,  IN THE BIBLE, GOD IS OFFERING HIS HEART TO US AND HE IS ASKING EACH OF US TO TRUST HIM WITH OUR HEARTS AND TO PLACE OUR HEARTS IN HIS STEADFAST HANDS.

YOU MAY HAVE  NOTICED THAT YOU WERE GIVEN AN ENVELOPE TODAY AS YOU CAME IN-   AND AT THIS TIME I WOULD ASK YOU TO OPEN THEM AND READ SILENTLY TO YOURSELF WHAT IS INSIDE.- 

GOD LOVES EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU WITH THE SAME INCREDIBLE POWER AND CONVICTION THAT CREATED THE HEAVENS AND EARTH.    HE LOVES YOU WITH THE SAME INCREDIBLE POWER THAT DELIVERED HIS PEOPLE OUT OF BONDAGE IN EGYPT.  HE LOVES YOU WITH THE SAME INCREDIBLE POWER THAT RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD,  AND HE WANTS TO FILL OUR HEARTS WITH THIS INCREDIBLE LOVE IF WE WILL ONLY LET HIM OPEN THE DOORS TO OUR CLOSED, SHUT-IN, FRIGHTENED HEART

- HE WILL NOT COME INTO OUR HEARTS UNINVITED-  HE IS WAITING FOR OUR INVITATION. 

AS IT SAYS IN REVELATION 3:20- “HERE I AM, I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK. IF ANYONE HEARS MY VOICE AND OPENS THE DOOR.  I WILL COME IN AND EAT WITH HIM, AND HE WITH ME.” 

WE SINNERS SO DESPERATELY NEED TO INVITE GOD TO COME INTO OUR HEARTS NOT JUST ONCE IN OUR LIVES, BUT EACH AND EVERY DAY.

THIS IS NOT JUST SOMETHING WE DO AS A ONE TIME COMMITMENT TO HIM, LIKE AND OLD NEGLECTED CRUMBLING HOUSE- OUR HEARTS ARE IN NEED OF DAILY REPAIR AND WE MUST RE-COMMIT OURSELVES TO GOD ON A DAILY BASIS BY GIVING OUR LIVES, ALL OF THEM, OVER TO HIM EVERY DAY.

AND WHEN WE DAILY COMMIT OUR HEARTS TO GOD AND LET HIM PERFORM THIS HEART SURGERY ON US,  OUR HEARTS BECOME OVERFLOWING WITH HIS LOVE-  SO THAT HIS LOVE OVERFLOWS OUT OF OUR HEARTS INTO OTHERS.

ONE VISION OF  WHAT IT IS LIKE WHEN WE ALLOW GOD TO FILL OUR HEARTS WITH HIS LOVE  WAS RELATED BY BRENNAN MANNING ABOUT A MAN NAME OF ED FARRELL, WHO TRAVELED FROM HIS HOME IN DETROIT TO SPEND A TWO-WEEK VACATION IN IRELAND TO CELEBRATE HIS UNCLES’ 80TH BIRTHDAY.  WHEN THE GREAT DAY DAWNED, ED AND HIS UNCLE ROSE EARLY TO GREET THE SUN.  THEY WALKED ALONG THE SHORE OF LAKE KILLARNEY, LOVING THE EMERALD GREEN GRASS AND CRYSTAL BLUE WATERS.  FOR TWENTY MINUTES THEY WATCHED THE SCENE TOGETHER IN SILENCE.  THEN THE UNCLE BEGAN TO DO AN UNUSUAL THING FOR AN 80 YEAR OLD MAN.  HE BEGAN TO SKIP ALONG THE SHORE OF THE LAKE, SMILING LIKE A SCHOOL BOY IN LOVE.  ED WAS PUFFING HARD AS HE TRIED TO CATCH UP TO HIM.

“UNCLE SEAMUS, YOU LOOK VERY HAPPY.  DO YOU WANT TO TELL ME WHY? 

“YES” SAID THE OLD MAN, TEARS RUNNING DOWN HIS FACE.  “YOU SEE, THE FATHER IS VERY FOND OF ME.  AH, ME FATHER IS SO VERY FOND OF ME.”

INDEED, OUR FATHER IS VERY MUCH FOND OF EACH OF US AND HE IS SO VERY FOND OF CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.  HE LOVES US LIKE-

 A FATHER WHO LOVES A LONE LOST SHEEP ENOUGH THAT HE LEAVES 99 SHEEP AND WHEN HE FINDS THE LOST SHEEP PUTS IT ON HIS SHOULDERS AND GOES HOME SAYING “REJOICE WITH ME, I HAVE FOUND MY LOST SHEEP.”

A FATHER WHO LOVES A LONG LOST SON AND WHEN THAT SON RETURNS IS FILLED WITH COMPASSION FOR HIM  RUNS TO HIS SON WITH RECKLESS ABANDON, THROWS HIS ARMS AROUND HIM AND KISSES HIM.

A FATHER WHOSE ONLY SON SEES THE CROWDS OF PEOPLE AND HAS COMPASSION ON THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE HARASSED AND HELPLESS LIKE SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD

A FATHER WHO TOLD THE PROPHET JEREMIAH “I HAVE LOVED YOU WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE.”

A FATHER WHO LOVES THE BLIND AND SENDS HIS SON TO GIVE THEM SIGHT

A FATHER WHO LOVES THE CRIPPLE AND SENDS HIS SO TO LET THEM WALK

A FATHER WHO LOVES THE LOST AND BRINGS  US HOME ON HIS SHOULDERS SO THAT WE CAN LIVE IN HIM AND HE CAN LIVE IN US.

A FATHER WHOSE LOVE IS SO VERY VERY GREAT THAT HE SENDS HIS ONLY SON TO DIE FOR YOU AND I- CAN YOU IMAGINE YOU PARENTS OUT THERE THE ANGUISH GOD MUST HAVE HAD IN HIS HEART TO SEND HIS ONLY SON TO WHAT HE KNEW WOULD BE A PAINFUL DEATH- YET HE MADE THIS INCREDIBLE SACRIFICE – BECAUSE HE LOVES EACH OF US THIS MUCH-

SO NOW YOU LOVELY CHILDREN OF GOD- ONCE WE ARE ACCEPTING CHRIST INTO OUR HEARTS TO REBUILD THEM ON A DAILY BASIS -WHAT NOW? WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?   WHAT DO WE DO WITH THESE REHABBED HEARTS?

OUR PASSAGE TODAY TELLS US- SINCE GOD LOVES US WE ARE THEN TO NOT ONLY LOVE GOD, BUT LOVE ONE ANOTHER- AND THEN AND THEN IF WE LOVE ONE ANOTHER- GOD LIVES IN US, AND THAT BROTHERS AND SISTERS IS GOOD NEWS FOR THE WORLD, IT’S GOOD NEWS FOR YOU AND I, AND IT’S GOOD NEWS FOR CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AS WE CONTINUE OUR WALK WITH GOD INTO AN EXCITING NEW FUTURE TODAY, AND THAT MY FRIENDS IS THE BEST KIND OF LOVE.

 

AMEN