Midweek Message February 12, 2014

Valentine’s Day is a couple of days away and all the commercials and advertising are about love – the romantic kind. But there are many types of love that are deeper and stronger than the kind of love that is written about in books, movies, and TV.

Romantic love is wonderful but it can be very conditional – a person loves another as long as certain conditions are met. But true love does not depend on looks, finances, behavior or status. It is based on truly loving the individual as they are.

It is the kind of love that we attribute to God. God is Love and for me, that Love does not depend on who or what I am. The closest thing in our physical world is the love of a dog for its owner.

Dogs do not care what we look like, what is in our bankbook or if we are successful. They love us no matter what.

I learned that lesson years ago when I had my dog Nike. I was in the midst of my addiction and I was not a good or responsible pet owner. I would go out intending to get back at a certain time so I could feed and walk Nike. Sometimes I did not make it. No matter what, no matter how much I may have not been there for him, he always greeted me with love and affection and was completely dedicated to me. Dog spelled backward is God.

That is how I see God’s love. No matter how much I may have strayed or what I have done, God loves me just the way I am. That is what makes the story of the Prodigal Son one of the most loved in the Bible. The father in the story represents God and each of us the Prodigal son. No matter what happens, God loves us and cares for us.

That is truly a love that can be celebrated!

Quote of the Week

“Love is a force more formidable than any other. It is invisible – it cannot be seen or measured; yet it is powerful enough to transform you in a moment, and offer you more joy than any material possession could.” Barbara de Angelis

In the Spirit,
Arlene

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