In 1973, well-known group, MFSB, debuted their hit titled above. Nice piece with lots of sax and instrumentation. Love is a message we want to get out, and so, each year we celebrate Valentine’s Day. On this well-recognized day, people hand out hearts filled with chocolates to loved ones. Sometimes, flowers, perfumes, and romantic dinners accompany them. The hearts relay the message, “I Love You.” Everyone loves to be loved. But that isn’t the only day love is displayed.
On Jesus’ last week on earth, holy week, He gave His disciples and the world a Valentine’s heart. Not of chocolates, but of love. He poured out His heart to them. He pointed them to the Father. He hand-delivered God’s heart. For 33 years, Jesus delivered in person this message, “I love you and I want you in my kingdom.”
The religious leaders missed this because they were caught up in all the little nuances and technicalities of the law. Their blindness disallowed God to reveal Himself, though living among them. They disbelieved the Omnipotent and Omniscient God could have a Son. They sought to limit His power through their limited understandings. God is limitless, and they lost out.
In the same boat? Arguing God can’t have a Son? Deceived, claiming Jesus is an angel or the brother of Satan, or merely a prophet? Read the scriptures. We’re commanded to live by faith (Hebrews 10:38).
Upon delivering God’s heart to the world, the only flowers He received in return, were probably at His burial. The world’s reciprocated love came in the form of hatred. They beat Him, stripped Him, crowned Him with thorns in mockery, and nailed His frail, exhausted and bloodied body to the cross as “King of the Jews.”
That was the world’s response to love and the degree of their romance. His sacrifice on the cross and shed blood was the perfume of love; a love that cannot be quenched. “Many waters cannot quench love” (Song of Solomon 8:7).
Over the centuries, His perfume continues to draw mankind to the cross where filthy, hate, and ugliness abound. But it’s there that we find beauty and love. It’s where God’s outstretched arms, reveal His heart to the world. Though His body was broken, His heart filled with joy at accomplishing what He set out to do: “That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses unto them” (2Corinthians 5:19).
In tears, whisper to God’s heart right now, “I love you God, and I thank you for enduring the punishment my sins brought upon you. Thank you for nailing them to the cross. Here, I meet you with open heart accepting your sacrifice and love for me. Sorry for the pain I’ve caused you; thank you for loving me unconditionally. Thank you for your heart, Amen.”
Welcome into God’s family! Welcome into His everlasting kingdom!
“I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off my hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting” (Isaiah 50:6).
Having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us, He took it away, nailing it to the cross (Colossians 2:14)!
Hosanna!
Sam