This holiday weekend has everyone excited and feeling the love for Valentines weekend. Consumer sales hit a record high despite a shaky economy and rising inflation. People young and old enjoy celebrating love.
Who doesn’t get excited and feel hopeful when they think about love? However everyone has different ideas of what love is:
- Intense feelings
- Temporary happiness
- Sex
God’s people are notorious for getting love wrong also, that is why the prophet Hosea rebuked Israel for turning to temporary happiness and earthly greatness, God’s people stopped loving and obeying God because they wanted to be happy and great like the fallen world (Isaiah 5:9; 7:1-8; 9:1-4.)
The story of Valentine’s Day offers us a bitter picture of what it means to remain faithful to God. One story states that the Roman Emperor Claudius banned Roman soldiers from getting married to help them be better soldiers.
St. Valentine defied the orders of the Emperor and continued marrying soldiers in secret. His allegiance to God and protection of marriage resulted in his death. Other historians tell of a bishop who was killed for helping Christians escape Roman prisons.
Whichever story you prefer, the theme is the same, real love doesn’t always feel good or end in happily ever after. Real love is hard and it reveals what really matters most to us. The biblical version of love always puts others first, even when it hurts or doesn’t make us happy (John 3:16.)
What Is Love
We each have different ideas of what love is because God created us differently (Genesis 1:27.) For some it is gifts, others it is quality time and for the majority of people it is sex. Love is defined as, “Strong affection for another arising from kinship or common interests; attraction based on sexual desire.”
Whichever definition you prefer, love has a positive connotation, even when it causes temporary hardship or pain. As believers, we are fortunate enough to understand God’s definition of love and it is different than the world’s—sacrificial commitment (Genesis 22:1-19, John 3:16, 1 John 4:9-10.)
Most of us have been taught “God is love” and we are to exemplify His love to others. The closer we get to God and mature in the faith, the easier it is to see the difference between worldly love and Godly love.
We understand God’s love doesn’t always make us happy, but it does make us holy and that is a lot better than temporary happiness (Hebrews 12:6-14, Revelation 3:19.) So we see living by our feelings is unwise.
Fortunately, the Bible has a lot to say about love (Romans 5:5-8; 8:35-39; 12:9, 1 Corinthians 13:2-13; 16:14, 1 Peter 4:8; 5:6-7.) The apostles remembered their Jewish education about love and how God loves us.
‘ahăḇâ
The ancient world was notorious for the temporary love that comes from happiness. Pleasure was the pursuit of most people, especially erotic or sexual pleasure. Material things became idols because people found their worth in their possessions.
One of the Hebrew words in the Old Testament for love is ahăḇâ and it can also mean, “God’s love, sexual desire, or lust,” depending on the context it is used in. So it is important for God’s people to understand the difference between His love and the world’s love, God’s love never ends.
Fortunately, the Torah has a lot to say about Godly love versus the idolatry of this world because God commands us to separate His people from the corrupt evil world (Leviticus 19:18, Deuteronomy 6:5; 7:7-13; 10:19, Psalm 86:5; 100:5; 116:1, Jeremiah 31:3, Hosea 2:19; 9:10.)
Not only does it talk about God’s love for us, but it repeatedly reminds God’s people to put their love for God first. Most of the 10 commandments cover the subject of love, our love for God, and our love for others (Exodus 20:2-17:)
- There is only one God
- Do not worship any idols
- Don’t misuse the name of the God
- Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy
- Honor your mother and father
- Thou shall not murder
- Don’t commit adultery
- Thou shalt not still
- Do not lie
- Thou shouldn’t be envious
When Jesus began His earthly ministry He restated the 10 Commandments into two great commandments, loving God and loving others (Matthew 22:36-40.) Jesus emphasized the need for us to love our neighbors as ourselves, and by neighbors, He meant anyone in need, regardless of their background or circumstances.
Jesus taught His Disciples not to love earthly things (Matthew 6:24, 1 John 2:15-17.) Jesus taught that true greatness is laying down our lives out of love for others (John 15:13.)
Jesus emphasized His followers would be known by their love for others (John 13:35.) So we see that in God’s Kingdom, true greatness comes from loving others and putting them first, not seeking our will or own good (Romans 12:10, Philippians 2:3-4.) Great leaders always put others before themselves.
Presidents’ Day
Not only are Americans celebrating Valentine’s Day weekend, but we are also celebrating the federal holiday of Presidents’ Day. The holiday originally began as a tribute to the nation’s first president and great spokesman George Washington.
But later it was moved to also celebrate Abraham Lincoln’s birthday along with George Washington. Both of these great men humbly put the nation before themselves and recognition of their accomplishments.
George Washington usually spent his birthday responding to letters. One of the things that has always made America great has been putting others before ourselves, just like Jesus we should value others more than ourselves.
Abraham Lincoln once noted about slavery in a letter to Henry L Pierce, “Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves and, under a just God, can not long retain it.”
Sadly, less than 200 years later we have a president who stands firmly against diversity in the workplace. Once again God’s people have become blinded by earthly greatness.
- Greed
- Power
- Control
The Bible is clear that in the last days, God’s people will turn from sound teaching and devote themselves to temporary things and whatever makes them happy (2 Timothy 4:3-4, 2 Peter 4:1-4.)
Jesus Himself warned that the love of many will grow cold (Matthew 24:1-51.) The love of this world and its pleasures choke out the love of God (Matthew 13:22, 1 John 2:15-17.)
Satan is a master at leading people astray with temporary greatness and pleasure (Genesis 3:1-24, 1 Peter 5:8.) That is why God’s people need to be devoted to His ahăḇâ!
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