A Greater Love

“I see you. I equipped you, and I love you.” I couldn’t have asked for a better Valentine’s Day acknowledgment.  It really didn’t matter to me at all if I got a “Happy Valentine’s Day” from anyone because the One that matters, the Highest of all high, the King acknowledged me.

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Valentine’s day has come and gone another year. It’s the time of year as we all know where spouses and significant others shower their loved ones with chocolates and gifts. Where we show our other halves how much we appreciate and love them. I’m not one that is huge on flowers, chocolates, jewelry, and all the mushy, fancy schmancy stuff, but I do love to be acknowledged and appreciated.

My husband shows his appreciation and love on a daily basis. He is not a big gift-giver. I went all out this year. I gave him and my son big chocolate kisses and made them breakfast; I even went as far as to cut the waffles into hearts. I sent them both off for the day feeling loved and appreciated. The day didn’t end there. I cooked them both dinner and made heart-shaped chocolate chip cookies with ice cream, whipped cream, the works.

Of course, I didn’t get anything in return. I did get an “I love you” and a verbal acknowledgment. If this were years ago, I probably would have been feeling completely deflated. I would have maybe even said something and laid a guilt trip. However, I learned that we do not show love to the people in our lives because we expect anything in return. Love is selfless. It is kind; it is not self-seeking.

Philippians 2:3-7, NIV

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

I love my family so much and thank God for His grace and blessings. That we are all here and we are all healthy. I did not get a Valentine’s yesterday, but God showed up in a big way. The last few months, I’ve been making some changes in my life. I have been trying to get healthy and lose weight, and I have been trying to get my spiritual life in better order. I temporarily walked away from my calling of writing. God has been throwing me visual signs left and right telling me to get back to it. I had every excuse in the book not to get back to His work. Interestingly enough, our church sermons lately have been about this very thing. Get back to the Lord’s work.

Yesterday I got an unexpected call from someone who chose to listen to the Lord and felt it on their heart to check in with me. This person offered so much encouragement and some words directly from God. I suddenly felt so important to the Lord. I felt like the Lord was telling me, “I see you. I equipped you, and I love you.” I couldn’t have asked for a better Valentine’s Day acknowledgment. It really didn’t matter to me at all if I got a “Happy Valentines Day” from anyone because the One that matters, the Highest of all high, the King acknowledged me.  The Creator of the entire universe told me that I am talented and that I am worthy and that I am loved. It also helped that the beautiful little creature, my amazing kitten that God graciously blessed me with months ago, loved on me all day.

So here I am, coming to you all and telling you that someone like me, who felt a bit insignificant throughout her entire life, struggled with feeling worthy, and walked away from her calling, was hand-chosen by the Lord Almighty to get back to it because He loves me and because He loves every one of you reading this right now. He needed you to know that the world may not acknowledge you and may not see your significance, but He does. He has called each one of us to have a place in His Kingdom. We all have a job and a place at His table.

Jesus Christ our King loved us so much that He died for us. He sacrificed, not for us to be idle and feel insignificant.  He wanted us to know and wants to remind us now that we are worth so much that He was willing to go through the ultimate betrayal and death for us. None of you are insignificant. If you’re still not convinced, spend time with God. Talk to Him. I promise He will show you He sees you. I’ve struggled all my life with self-doubt and low self-esteem. I believe God is freeing me from this.

The enemy wanted me to feel like I had nothing to offer. The devil wanted me to feel like I could not make a difference in anyone else’s life, but God said that is not true because “I hand-selected you. Because I hand-selected you, I have equipped you. I knew your name before you were even conceived, and I’ve had a plan for your life. All you need to do is believe in Me and believe that you have what it takes and walk into it.”

There is a song that Cory Asbury sings called “Reckless Love” that sums it up perfectly. “I couldn’t earn it; I don’t deserve it. Still, You give Yourself away.” I encourage you to look up the words. There is no love greater than the love of God. Words can’t even describe the measure of it. There is nothing anyone in this world can do or say that can compare to the vastness of His love.

Romans 5:8, KJV

But God commandeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

John 3:16, KJV

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

 

 

 

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About the Author

Valerie Close has a passion of encouraging others with the truth from the word of God and her own personal experiences. She is faith-driven and a seeker of truth with a real heart and compassion for other people to come out on the other side with a new hope and revelation of Jesus Christ.