Happy Valentine’s Day. Now, I know that the validity of this day is often called into question by naysayers who claim the greeting card industry started it all—but if you do a bit of research, you’ll find it was first founded by a pope to honor Christian martyrs. Then, in the 15th century it turned into a day to honor loved ones via gifts of candy and notes. And THEN the greeting card companies got into the game. So, people get all worked up about how it has to do with marketing and…well…it probably has a lot to do with it. After all, candy sales go up, and so do flower sales. But, it’s also a good excuse to tell loved ones how much they mean to us.

When I was in high school, my school sold roses on Valentine’s day to make money for programs. And every year I hoped to get one from someone—but I never did. A couple times during the day, rose deliveries would be made in the classrooms, and I’d hold my breath, thinking maybe some unnamed admirer would confess their crush through a rose. Throughout the day, you could see clearly who was ‘loved’ by the rose placed prominently on their desk, carried proudly to each class. For me, though, it was not to be.

What I did not know at the time was that one day I’d marry a man who gave me flowers throughout the year. A man who would make personal sacrifices for me time and again. Who would do anything to protect and provide for me and our two kids. Who would stand by me in trial, pray for me during illness, and rejoice with me in blessings.

And as wonderful as I think my husband is (and you may think your significant other is), there’s One who loves us better. He set the standard on love—one that we can’t possibly meet without Him.

But, maybe you’re not feeling so loved or lovely. You’re thinking, “What’s love got to do with it?” You might even be angry at where you are in life. If you are today like I was once, wishing and hoping to be loved and appreciated, feeling unnoticed—know that you are not only noticed, but fully known. And that sacrificial love has been given to you, a free gift for the taking.

1 John 4: 7-12  Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (read in context here)