1 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever. 2 Give thanks to the God of gods, for His steadfast love endures forever. 3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for His steadfast love endures forever; ~ Psalms 136:1-3
Twenty-three more times, this phrase, “for His Steadfast love endures forever,” is repeated twenty-six times in total. Doubtless to say, we are God’s valentine. We are His most loved and prized possession, and He wants us to know. We are the very apple of His eye. There is no sidestepping it or no getting around it. We are God’s valentine. It is hard to believe that an Almighty, All-Powerful, All-Knowing God and Creator can look at us and say, I love you this much, and then hold out His hands to us, revealing the nail prints in the palm of His hands.
Yes, we mean that much to God to send His beloved Son to die for us. Yes, we mean that much to Jesus for Him to come down to this old dusty earth to endure heat and cold. Sweat and sorrow. Pain and rejection. To know what it is like to be thirsty and hungry. To be mocked and ridiculed. To know what it is like to be weary and tired. Then to be punched and slapped and spat upon, and then to know what it is like to be whipped within inches of His life. And finally, to know what it is like to be crucified and to die. For what? For His dearly beloved bride, the Church.
Yes, it is true, God the Father loves us, and Jesus the Son loves us, and they gave us their Holy Spirit as a seal of adoption. No greater love has no man than this, that he would lay down his life for his friends. Jesus is our friend, He is our God and our Savior, but He is our friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Thank you, Heavenly Father, that You would send Your Son to die for me. Thank You, Jesus, for being obedient and coming to die for me. I can never repay You, but I will always love You. Thank You again for all You have done, and are now doing, and will ever do for me; in Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.
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