“Somebody Loves You”
February 11, 2007
Thirty five years ago, I met a wonderful girl. She was beautiful, sexy, talented, deeply committed to the Lord, and named after a queen. After spending some time with her I decided to make her the queen of my castle. It will be thirty five years ago this valentines day that I asked Queen Julianne to marry me. She consented and we committed ourselves to each other until death parts us.
Valentine’s Day is a romantic holiday. Big business knows that and makes a ton off of people’s emotions. They sell millions of cards, and tons of candy, and bushels of flowers and anything else that is even slightly romantic. It seems like stuff they are pushing is more sexual in nature these days.
But the fact of the matter is that most people will be spending Valentine’s Day in a love vacuum. That’s a place that doesn’t have enough love in it. And when they see the flowers and the hearts and the candy, they experience a little painful twist in their hearts, like ol’ cupid stuck his arrow in there and gave it a mean twist.
Many people think of lost love on this holiday. Divorce, broken relationships, regrets over the way things were said or handled come to mind. “What if I would have done this?” “What if I would have done that?” An old Eagles song says, “What do you do when your dreams come true – and they aren’t quite like you planned?” And many people live alone with someone else. And we face such importance, like whom we will spend the rest of our lives together, when we are so immature.
And nearly everyone sees all the romantic hoopla conjured up by Hollywood, swallows it, hook-line-and-sinker, realize they are not living that utopian lie, and are left feeling cheated or let down or that somehow life has passed them by with it’s passion fruit.
You need to know that Hollywood is a lie. This week one of the most beautiful women in the world died. Like Marilyn Monroe who died at 36, Jean Harlow, who died at 26), Jayne Mansfield, who died at 34, Anna Nicole Smith died young at age 39. All these women were beautiful. But they had more than that in common. They partied hard, they all were sex symbols; All were suppose to be the epitome of womanhood. And all married multiple times, apparently looking for that one true love. Their lives seemed to be empty of the one real thing they longed for – love. And in that they were quite normal. We are all looking for love. Unfortunately, like one of the old Eagles songs say, we look for it in all the wrong places.
As we approach this Valentine’s Day, I want you to know that you are loved more than you know – more than you can imagine. You are cherished. Max Lucado said,
"If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If he had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, he’ll listen."...
Jesus, Himself said, "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
You were created by God to be His bride. The Bible says,
“Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
"Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns! Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) Then the angel said to me, "Write: ’Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’ And he added, "These are the true words of God." Rev. 19:6-9
I don’t know what that all means. I think the concept of us being God’s bride is way too deep for us. But He did reveal some things. I think it means that He wants us to spend eternity with Him as His partner. We will rule and reign with Him for eternity. We will live in a honeymoon state forever. The honeymoon never ends. We will be loved and valued and appreciated –eternally! All our faults and failing blemishes will be gone. We will be pure and perfect. God can do that for us, His bride.
Do you remember your honeymoon? Sometimes in relationships we say they are “in the honeymoon phase”. When a pastor goes to an new church – the first few weeks or first few months are called the honeymoon phase. That’s because in the honeymoon we see everything through eyes of love. We overlook faults. We overlook character defects – or if we notice them we are confident they will change. In that phase, all the faults are small. All the good qualities are magnified. It usually doesn’t take long to come back to reality. But, you know what? Eternity is going to be an eternal honeymoon. We are the bride of Christ and He will treat us with love and kindness and generously pour out His magnificent treasures on us for all eternity.
I want you to know that you are loved. God doesn’t send us a heart to remind us of that – but He has given us a cross in which He expressed His love. Every time you see a cross – remember how much you are loved. Remember how valuable you are. Remember how much Someone treasures you – and remember that the honeymoon’s coming.
Secondly, remember that God is working on your behalf. An old professor of mine used to say, “When it looks like nothing is happening – something IS happening.” Too often you feel alone and unloved and unappreciated. You feel lost and adrift. But you aren’t. Do you know that even then God is in control? He is working for us. John Knight tells the story about a traveler who fell into a deep pit and couldn’t get out. Several people came along and saw him struggling in the pit.
The sensitive person said, "I feel for you down there."
The reflective person said, "It’s logical that someone would fall into the pit."
The artsy person said, "I can give you ideas on how to decorate your pit."
The judgmental person said, "Only bad people fall into the pit."
The analytical person said, "Help me measure the depth of your pit."
The curious person said, "Tell me how you fell into the pit."
The perfectionist said, "I believe you deserve your pit."
The evaluator said, "Tell me, are you paying taxes on this pit."
The self-pitying person said, "You should have seen my pit."
The specialist in meditation said, "Just relax and don’t think about the pit."
The optimist said, "Cheer up! Things could be worse."
The pessimist said, "Be prepared! Things will get worse."
Jesus, seeing the man, took him by the hand and lifted him out of the miserable pit.
Do you know that Jesus loves you so much that He will help you with whatever mess you got yourself into? On the one hand we have to realize that most all of our problems are caused by our poor choices; Choices usually done in violation of God’s law. Sometimes we didn’t realize we were breaking God’s love. Usually we did – and thought this time it would be different. We would get away with it. This choice would turn out for good – even though God says don’t do it.
What will it take for us to realize that God tells us to not do something to protect us? Or to DO something so we will be blessed? When will we remember that God is for us – not against us? God has given us, His bride, this wonderful gift of free will. We have been given the privilege of ruling our destiny. Even angels in heaven are awed that God has trusted us with this gift. And life is a series of opportunities to make choices. But we have to learn that choices have consequences. And sometimes life is filled with pitfalls. And sometimes life becomes the pits.
Even when things happen that disappoint us or hurt us – God has not abandoned us. He loves us. We need to remember that God allowed us to make our choices. And these are the consequences. The pain and the struggle is to help us. God is preparing His bride for eternity. But God hasn’t abandoned us.
Paul wrote:
“But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV
Do you understand that God wants us, His bride, to realize that we aren’t alone? We have His strength. We have His wisdom. We have His power. What is the Groom’s is also the Bride’s. We need to realize that - and go to Him in our weakness and in our loneliness and in our pain. He will give strength. He will wrap His arms of love around us. He will heal our hurts.
34 years ago, this Valentines Day, I made a commitment to Julie and she made one to me. We weren’t married yet. That didn’t happen until the following June. But I decided she was going to be the only girl for me – and I began to live according to that decision. I never dated another girl. She never dated another guy. We were committed to each other – even before we were married.
Do you know that Jesus has extended an invitation to you much like that? He has asked you to become His bride. He says,
“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. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.” Revelation 3:20-21
Every person ever born has received that invitation. Every person ever born has been bought from the enemy with the price of Jesus’ blood. But only a few respond to it. Only a few hear His knock on their hearts door. Fewer yet respond to it. Most ignore it. Most are too preoccupied. But the Groom is there, knocking, whispering your name in soft, loving tones; Longing to come in and share your most personal affairs with you. Only a loved one comes into your home and shares something so intimate as a meal.
There are so many things to hinder us. The world screams its demands at us. The lust of the flesh and the desires of the world drown out the voice of our love. Only a few overcome their selfishness and self-centeredness and make Jesus their Groom and King. But Jesus says that those who do will sit with Him on His throne. I don’t know what that all means – but I believe it is very, very good. It’s a good thing to sit on the throne with the Creator of this world.
Are you willing, this Valentine’s Sunday to make Jesus the Love of YOUR life? Maybe you already have and want to reaffirm it. Maybe you just want to say, one more time, to Jesus. “I love You. I want You to be my Lord and King. I will follow You wherever you lead. I will give myself to You for the rest of eternity. If you want to make that commitment – stand with me. If you like, you can pray this prayer with me.
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for loving me so much. Thank You for the plans you have for me and my life. Forgive me for not always following you. Forgive me for not loving you more than I do. Help me to love you with all my heart and soul. Help me to live for you from this point on – for all eternity. I do – take you as my King.
In Jesus Name,
