Tammy On Tuesday ~ Valentine’s Day and a Reason to Celebrate

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PINIMAGEI’d like you to meet Ellie Norah, the newest addition to the Lashey family. We named her after my Nana, Eleanor. Ellie was the inspiration for my Valentine cards to my kids this year. I’m either really creative or really crazy or a little bit of both.

PINIMAGEThis morning while the kids read the cards and opened their chocolates I talked with them about love. I told them that as much as we love them, God loves them even more. I told them His love never fails. His love is perfect and personal. I even told them that there are times I beg God in prayer for them for different things and while I pray, God reminds me He loves my children more than I do. That sure helps me to pray with confidence and hope.  I did my best to explain to them that the safe and loving home they live in was made possible because of God’s love.  He healed a broken marriage years ago and gave us hope and meaning.  He continues to pour out His love in our home and my children receive the benefit of His presence.

The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.  Proverbs 10:22

Today is a day we talk about love.  It’s a day we celebrate love.  For some, it may be a difficult time.  Because, as humans, our love is flawed and tainted with selfishness.  People are hurt and betrayed “in the name of love”.  But that’s not God’s love.

I remember when I was in middle school. I had a “boyfriend” and at the time we didn’t have cell phones or e-mail. We used to walk 5 miles in the snow, uphill, one way to school every day. Wait, that’s not me. I just started to talk like old people sounded to me as a kid…

Anyway, back in the day, we communicated by passing notes to each other between classes in the hall. Every day after each class I’d look for him and hope he had a note for me. Sometimes, he wouldn’t have time to write but when he did, I couldn’t wait to find a quiet place to take in all his words. I would read and re-read it looking for words of affection and committing them to memory.

One day, he handed me a note and since we had a little bit of time, I unfolded it right there. I read the first line, “My dearest, Laurie.” Insert record scratch here. Wait, what? My name’s not Laurie!  I folded it up and handed it back to him.

Heartbreak.

Betrayal.

He tried to convince me that even though he cared for “some girl named Laurie” he cared equally as much for me…probably more.

Ha! Now that’s funny.

Nope.

That wasn’t gonna fly.

No one likes to be betrayed.

In case you’re wondering what brought that memory to my mind this morning, it’s because I am reading, of all the books in the Bible, in the book of Hosea. I found it very fitting to be reading Hosea on Valentine’s Day.

For those of you who’ve never read Hosea, it’s a story of undeserved love for an adulterous people. The gist of the book is that God tells the prophet Hosea to marry a harlot even though God knew she would continue to be unfaithful. This union would be an example to Israel, God’s people, of their adulterous behavior toward Him. Over and over God poured out His love and devotion to them and they treated it carelessly, seeking after idols.

Hosea 1:2 says, When the Lord first began speaking to Israel through Hosea, he said to him, “Go and marry a prostitute, so that some of her children will be conceived in prostitution. This will illustrate how Israel has acted like a prostitute by turning against the Lord and worshiping other gods.”

 Hosea 3:1 says, Then the Lord said to me, “Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them.”

 So, here we have it – an all-loving God and an adulterous people.

Betrayal.

It’s one thing to be betrayed and not be aware of it. It’s entirely another to continue to love someone who you know will betray you over and over.

That’s the God who pursues us!

Listen friends. Before you pass judgment on the people of Israel, understand something.

We all do it. We all are prone to seek other gods (idols) instead of giving our all to God Himself.  How sad!

Today idols may not be erected in our home but they take on many forms – materialism, social status, relationships, comfort, leisure, money, pride.  I could go on.

The Bible says,

For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.  1 John 2:16 

I find myself, daily being lured in to seeking lesser things, being satisfied with less than God’s best for me – namely, an intimate relationship with Him.

This morning, in Hosea chapter six,  I read some verses that are a great reminder for me and hopefully for you as well. I want to point out some thoughts in closing that I took away from this chapter.

1 – GOD IS FAITHFUL TO US

Hosea 6:3 says, ‘Oh, that we might know the Lord!

    Let us press on to know him.

He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn

    or the coming of rains in early spring.”

No matter how unfaithful we are, God is constant and faithful. Just as we can count on the sun to rise, we can count on God to receive us back when we repent of our wandering.

How should we respond to His faithful love? Acknowledge our sin and repent…I love how the verse says, “Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know Him.”  Friend, don’t run FROM God.  Run TO Him and He will be faithful to you!  Let us press on to know Him!

2 – WE ARE PRONE TO IDOL WORSHIP and WE ARE FINCKY IN OUR DEVOTION TO THE LORD

Hosea 6:4 says, “O Israel and Judah,

    what should I do with you?” asks the Lord.

“For your love vanishes like the morning mist

    and disappears like dew in the sunlight.

In verse 4 God describes the commitment of His children. It’s fleeting.  Our love for God is conditional at best.  Oh that He would give us the wisdom and heart to love Him more!

3 – GOD SEES OUR WAYWARDNESS AND STILL WANTS US TO KNOW HIM

Hosea 6:6 says, I want you to show love,

    not offer sacrifices.

I want you to know me

    more than I want burnt offerings.

Often we get busy about our “religious behavior” and still forget God. We even fool ourselves into thinking God is pleased if we serve Him even though our hearts are devoted to other things.  He’s not interested in our sacrifices. He wants our hearts. He wants us to know Him.

I know Valentine’s Day can be difficult. But I want you to know, because of God’s love, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US has reason to rejoice. Even though it’s like we’ve handed him the ‘love note’ with someone else’s name time and time again, He’s willing to receive us back and teach us to know Him and His love.

Do you have a personal relationship with God? Have you experienced His love?

If you know Him, maybe it’s time to re-evaluate your heart and get rid of any idols in your life. Ask Him to show you where you are tempted to stray and turn back to Him to experience the fullness of His love.

If you don’t have a personal relationship with Him through Jesus Christ, you can. And what better day to do it! Here’s how you can learn more…Click on the link below

How Can I Know God?

My prayer for each of us today, from every walk of life, is that we will experience God’s perfect love in a new way. When we do, we can celebrate the love He pours into our hearts and lives on Valentine’s Day and always.