He Sent Jesus

There is a greeting card company, which no doubt derives no small part of its annual income today, Valentine’s Day, that has long sought to convince us that their cards are simply the only choice. At least for those who care enough to send the “very best.” I don’t care to speculate on how much money gets pumped into the economy on this day because of greeting cards, candy, flowers, jewelry, and all other manner of things that somehow are thought to say “I love you,” but I could certainly retire if I had the St. Valentine’s Day franchise.

The point of all this is, as I thought this morning about the greeting card company’s slogan, I convinced myself that their inspiration must have been God, who cared so much that he sent his very best to die for the sake of his love for the world. (John 3.16) But a greeting card could never express all the love God has for us, so he gave us an entire book, actually sixty-six books, that tell the compelling story of his agape—his love—is very best.

As for flowers, well, Michael W. Smith’s song “Above All” says God’s best was “like a rose trampled on the ground,” willing to be crushed because he thought of all of us “above all.” And God didn’t send us a gift of jewelry, but instead sent us the Rock, his Son, who is “more precious than silver,” “more costly than gold,” and “more beautiful than diamonds.” Neither did we receive a box of chocolates from God as a token of his love. Instead he gave us bread and wine. All these gifts were costly to God beyond reckoning, but he did not hesitate to spend lavishly on us because from the beginning he cared enough to send his very best.

This year, as Valentine’s Day happens to fall on the Lord’s Day, I think it would be wonderful for the world to say “Thank you” to God for all the gifts he has given us that express his great love for us, most especially the gift of his Son, who died to purchase our salvation, the greatest gift of love. And, contrary to a line from a rather sappy movie from the 60s, love does not mean never having to say you’re sorry, but rather being willing to tell the one you love that you are sorry for all the times when you’ve failed to be, to do, to give, or to send your very best.

God knows, our very best isn’t any way near enough to erase all the times we fall short, not to mention the many occasions when we do our worst rather than our best. So, offering God our apology, or confession, if you prefer, is also appropriate on this Lord’s Day-Valentine’s Day. And you know, our confession gives him another opportunity to express his love for us through the gift of his grace by which we are saved through faith in Jesus Christ, God’s very best for us. Casting our worst, our sin, as far away as east from west is distant, God makes new life and love begin again in us through his Son, his very best.