The Heart of Love

Since February still lingers, I suppose it is not too late to think about Valentine’s day which celebrates love and affection and leaves me with the image of a heart. Actually, the heart is the innermost part of my being. My heart is what governs my thoughts and emotions. 

     There are all kinds of sayings about the heart and the emotions that go with it, like: 

 

Faint of heart

A heart of gold

Eat your heart out 

Have a heart to heart

Have a change of heart

Heart is in the right place 

Home is where the heart is 

From the bottom of my heart 

Wear your heart on your sleeve 

These are all good things to consider but even better are those found in scripture: 

 

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7a

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8

“Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” Psalm 31:24

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:21

 “My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.” Psalm 7:10

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

 

     There are so many more scriptures about the heart that I cannot post them all. But the one thing I cannot leave out is how much love flows from God’s heart. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotton Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” This is a heart of love! And, He gives it to me.

 

 

Valentine's Day

     Valentine's Day is associated with love, heart shaped designs, and cupids.  But, what is love?  1 Corinthians not only defines it for us but tell is what we are without it.  "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing." 
     "Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous, love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly, it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth, bears all things, endures all things.  Love never fails..."
     There is no greater love that has ever been shown than when Jesus laid down His life for me.  Jesus even prayed for me as He hung upon that cross when he asked in agony, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."  
     Other examples of love which we can apply to our lives today are: 
     In Luke 15, we read about the Parable of the Lost Son (Patience and Forgiveness).  The Father, who had waited patiently for his son to return from his riotous living, instantly forgave him and celebrated with him.   
     In Luke 10, we are given the Parable of the good Samaritan (Neighborly Love) who seeing a man that had been beaten and robbed had compassion.  He bound up the stranger's wounds, carried him to an inn, and took care of him. 
     In John 11, we are given the story of Lazarus and his death.  When Jesus saw the anguish of Lazarus's family and friends, "He wept."  (Compassion)
     There are so many deeds people do to show love, but sadly the news seldom shares these stories. Yet, love is written on the hearts of many, many people.  They have followed the words given in Proverbs 3:3, "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart."   

February, The Love Month

     It is almost time to turn the pages of the calendar to a new month, one which represents love and romance.  On February 14th, women around the globe visualize red hearts and winged cupids.  Men are "expected" to remember their loved ones with romantic cards, vases of flowers, balloons, or boxes of chocolate coated candy,  to name a few.  If I had to guess, it was not a man who started this tradition.   The blame could possibly be placed on card companies.  If not them, they quickly jumped on the bandwagon to promote their sales.  Just last night Hallmark advertised on a commercial, "caring makes the world go round." 
     That is actually a true statement!  Caring and love does make the world go round.
      "Love is in the air."  "What the world needs now is love, sweet love."  These are all saying about love. 
     Yet, when I think of love, I think of my God and His Son, Jesus.  This is where love is truly centered. 
    1 John 4:8b  "...for God is love." 
     Jesus demonstrated the greatest love of all:    
    1 John 3:16, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his live for us.  And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters." 
    John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.
   

    1 Corinthians 13 is the chapter which enhances on what love is, and if we would all follow these guidelines in our daily lives, it would be greatest "box of chocolates" ever. 

"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
⁸ Love never fails...
¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.