God’s Love Never Fails

by Shadia Hrichi

“Happy Singles Awareness Day!” the newscaster blurted out through the car radio. It was the first time I had heard the expression, which made me nearly spit out my coffee. I couldn’t help but chuckle. It seemed a clever way to try and ease the tension that some experience this time of year.

As a single person, I actually like Valentine’s Day (and being single). I enjoy watching my friends relish in the fragrant flowers and roses delivered to them at the office. If our hearts are willing, whether married or single, when gifts are received with a heart of gratitude, the day can be festive for everyone. For some of us, that gift might simply be the gift of laughter

“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24 ESV).

All of us can be thankful for the side effects of Valentine’s Day. The office smells a lot better, and there is usually enough chocolate to go around for everyone. Still, the pleasures quickly fade. Within days, the flowers begin to wilt until only thorns and a puddle of red petals remain. Though the gifts were temporary, they were meant to serve as a reminder of the lasting love of the one who sent it.

Each Valentine’s Day, I survey the naked thorns and fallen petals. They remind me of another day and another gift. Jesus, the Son of God, compelled by His great love for us, came to earth to give us the gift of Himself. Two thousand years ago, He hung naked and dying on a cross. A cruel crown of thorns caused crimson drops of Jesus’ blood to fall onto a thirsty, sin-cursed ground.

“…Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:2 ESV).

Just as the sweet fragrance of roses reminds us of someone’s love for us, the sacrifice of Christ reminds us of the Father’s boundless love for the whole world. Yet, unlike roses, which quickly fade and fall, never to return, Jesus’s gift lasts for eternity. The glorious proof is demonstrated in His resurrection from the grave!

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has caused us to be born again into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade— kept in heaven for you…you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever” (1 Peter 1:3-4, 23-25 ESV).

This Valentine’s Day, as you see the flowers and candy and plastic hearts, remember to take some time to ponder the imperishable gift offered by the eternal Lover of your soul.

This article is brought to you by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA).

About the author: Shadia Hrichi is a passionate Bible Teacher who loves seeing lives transformed by the power of God’s Word. In addition to numerous articles, Shadia is the author of various Bible studies, including her latest study, TAMAR: Rediscovering the God Who Redeems Me, as well as LEGION: Rediscovering the God Who Rescues Me, HAGAR: Rediscovering the God Who Sees Me, and Worthy of Love: A Journey of Hope and Healing After Abortion. Shadia holds an MA in Biblical and Theological Studies, as well as an MA in Criminal Justice. Currently residing in northern California, Shadia regularly speaks at churches and women’s events and loves to visit the ocean each week for ”a date with Jesus.” Visit www.shadiahrichi.com

Join the conversation: What reminds you of God’s love?