When people think about the month of February, chances are good that their thoughts go to Valentine’s Day. Afterall, Valentine’s Day merchandise has been in stores since the day after Christmas! Of course, this holiday is devoted to celebrating and honoring romantic love, which is perfectly fine. In fact, I think we Christians can sometimes downplay the importance of romantic love because of how much the Bible speaks of unconditional, or agape, love. But the Bible comments on the importance and power of romantic love as well. In Song of Solomon 8:6b-7, we read:
For love is as strong as death,
Jealousy is as severe as Sheol;
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
The very flame of the Lord.
“Many waters cannot quench love,
Nor will rivers overflow it;
If a man were to give all the riches of
his house for love,
It would be utterly despised.”
That is some pretty powerful language for describing love! Now, I know not everyone has that “special someone,” nor is everyone looking for one. But that doesn’t mean that we cannot all celebrate and honor God’s beautiful gift of romantic love. – Pastor Zach