To ponder upon...This Valentines Day By Melissa St. James

To ponder upon...This Valentines Day By Melissa St. James

The smell of sweet summer rain, the caress of the warm sun on your cheek after the rage of the tempest, the sweetness of a ripened fresh strawberry, the whisper of the wind rushing through the trees, the tiny fingers of a newborn babe, the bliss and passion of a tender kiss from the one you love.  None of these things would be as special if we had not experienced being without them, if we don’t know what it’s like to have the hard dry cracked dusty land of drought we could never experience the fullness of summer rain, if there were no dark storm clouds hiding the sun we could never appreciate its warmth, its glow, if we've never tasted what is bad, foul or sour we could never appreciate the pleasure of tasting something sweet.  If there were no stagnant, still, heavy days, we could never appreciate the power and the refreshing presence of the wind.  If there were no hope in death, nothing to expect when we are done with lives toil, when it ends, how could we appreciate the wonder, the miracle and fragility of the newness of life as it begins.  If we have never been lonely and longed for someone to desire us, to really love us, a kiss could never be as wonderfully pleasing or satisfying as it is.  In much the same way, if we were never dissatisfied we would never need God to satisfy us.  That which is truly wonderful and desired by us couldn’t be as wonderful if we had not ever gone without it.  It would just be ordinary.  Our deepest longings and desires can only be satisfied by the one who is the lover of our souls.  No person, no thing can ever satisfy all that He can.  He loves us with a love that we cannot comprehend, for it is a spiritual thing, an infinite thing that our finite minds cannot comprehend.  No person will be able to fulfill all of our needs no matter how great their intent.  We are a fallen people with a fallen nature and simply in our humanity we will fail despite our greatest efforts to fulfill someones needs.  God doesn’t allow it.  He loves us enough to not allow another person to be on the alter of our worship, though we can try and place them there.  God loves us enough to have us become dissatisfied, that He may satisfy us. This Valentines Day I am reminded what real true love is, it is Jesus.  Him and Him alone.  Jesus be my pursuer, my passion, my desire, my love.  So then in the overflow of your love will I love those who are dear to me.  So that my love will not be a selfish love, a self protecting love but a vulnerable love, because my trust is in you.  Amen