God's Valentine Message

“Nothing says, ‘I love you,’ like a half-mile wide heart made out of manure.”

That was a news headline on the internet just before Valentine’s Day four years ago. The headline was in response to a romantic display of love by a farmer for his wife in Minnesota. Bruce Andersland created the half-mile wide heart outline in a snow covered field using his manure spreader. The brown colored heart which included a cupid arrow was then photographed from the air by a local pilot. Bruce’s wife, Beth, thought is was “cute” and confessed that she wasn’t used to getting such thoughtful gifts for Valentine’s Day. “You’re married to a farmer and it’s like, once in awhile he tells you you’re getting a new baler for your birthday,” she said.

Well there’s no doubt that the fragrance of this unique Valentine gift was in the air for others to also appreciate for miles around. However, I’m personally reminded from this story to never do something like that in my back yard. That kind of romantic health hazard would not be received well by my wife or by my neighbors! Like a lot of other men I will stick to chocolate and flowers.

And yet, as I think about the greatest love story of all time, I am reminded that it included some disgusting details. The greatest expression of love ever shown to the world included torture, blood, disfigurement and death. That is how the Lord Jesus Christ expressed his love for us when he came to earth. He revealed the depth of God’s love by dying on a cross to pay the penalty for our sin. His death was like a Valentine message to us written with his own blood.

And two thousand years later it is still the most loving message of all time. It reminds us that God’s love through Jesus Christ was self-sacrificing. It was unconditional love. It was undeserved love. It was not a token chocolate and flowers expression of love. It was not self serving like so many of our modern day versions of love. It was forgiving love that can deal with the depths of our sin.

The Bible describes this love in what could be God’s Valentine message to you this week. “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Happy Valentine’s Day from Heaven.