February is that special time of the year for expressing love. I’ve always enjoyed Valentine’s Day. I used to work as a florist, and the experience has always remained with me. There was always a huge demand for beautifully arranged flowers. We put roses in vases and made the floral arrangements as fast as our hands could move. We were standing on mounds of petals and leaves because there was literally no time to sweep the floor. This was all so that someone could deliver a special sentiment and gift to the ones they loved. I sometimes wonder what the world would be like if we did that every day? I think about how Jesus is and always will be the greatest Valentine message. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son" (John 3:16). How amazing and astounding that He loved us so much that He died a brutal death so that we can be with Him forever!

There are many testimonies of people who have died and come back to life. In their encounters they testify of the incredible love of God they experienced as they encountered Jesus Christ.

Paul speaks about this love in 1 Corinthians 13. I found these 10 characteristics listed in the footnotes of the Passion Translation Bible.

Love is:

1. Patient under stress
2. Kind at all times
3. Generous, not envious
4. Humble, not self-promoting
5. Never rude
6. Does not manipulate by using shame
7. Is not irritable or easily offended
8. Celebrates honesty
9. Does not focus on what is flawed
10. Loyal to the end.

As followers of Christ, love is to be our highest aim. I find it to be one of the greatest challenges to my fleshly nature. I believe it takes a supernatural empowerment of grace in order to love. Each and every day I repeatedly ask myself if I am loving others well because that is what reveals the character of Jesus to others. Not an easy task, but one we are called to walk in.

The beautiful part of love is that God richly and lavishly bestows it on us, and as we receive from Him, we can give it out to others. It’s a gift and a treasure, and as God is love, we are to be like Him. So, with that in mind, it’s a good question to ask ourselves everyday: how well we are learning to love? And how well we are receiving the love of our heavenly Father?

Song:

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your pure love and that Your love never fails (1Cor. 13:8). Please help me to come into the full revelation of Your love so I can receive it for myself and others. I pray for grace to reflect all the many characteristics of Your divine love to all I encounter each day.

Divine Exercises and Journal Prompts

1. List 3 ways you can implement the 10 Characteristics of love in a higher degree in your life.
2. List 3 ways you can allow the love of God to penetrate your own heart.
3. List 3 people you would like to love better and steps you can implement to accomplish that goal.