The month of February offers us a day to consider the loved ones in our lives and the opportunity to express that love with many marketing attempts to persuade us the importance of sharing our love with a card and/or gift. But Valentine’s Day also offers us the opportunity to reflect upon the power of love in our lives and in the world. It allows for us to consider the power of God’s Love which unites, holds and provides for all things in this universe.Many people throughout history have pondered the power of love and I share some quotes concerning this most precious gift.

“There isn’t any formula or method. You learn to love by loving. Aldous Huxley

“Age does not protect you from love, but love to some extent protects you from age.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“The course of true love never did run smooth.” William Shakespeare

“If you love something, set it free. If it returns, it was, and always will be yours. If it never returns, it never was yours. Unknown

“Love doesn’t make the world go ‘round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.” Franklin P. Jones

And now, I ask that you to really consider this next quote:

“I never knew how to worship until I knew how to love.” Henry Ward Beecher

Offering our worship, that which we offer back to God, is an expression, a deep seated center of life, heart moving giving back to God of what He first has given us.He has given His Son as the fullness of His care and love and promise to be our God and in this epiphany, we know love in its fullest. And the amazing thing about worship, we experience a true relationship with God in that He continues to come to us and touch our hearts as only God can do. Now, I end with this final quote:

“We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19