Today, while waiting at an intersection near the university where I live, I studied the faces of the people in the crosswalk. A handful jogged by on their way to the popular running path our city boasts. Others were students, backpacks in place, hurrying to their next class.
One young man stood out from the crowd. Hair in need of a cut and baggy jeans clinging to his hips, he crossed the street on his skateboard. In his teeth he carried a long-stemmed, red rose. The red bloom dangled from its stem, jiggling with each push of his foot on the pavement. I wondered if the person for whom the rose was intended would fully appreciate the gesture when he arrived. I doubted there would be much of the flower left. But then, maybe he’s one of those alone on this day and the flower was for him.
Expressions of love will be shared by many this Valentine’s day—dinners out, flowers, candy, and sentimental cards. Those with significant others in their lives will no doubt revel in the knowledge that they are special to someone.
But there are those who, through no fault of their own, despise the annual event. For whatever reason, they are alone. Some never found a person with whom they could share their life. For others, illness has isolated them. For some, death has taken their loved one, or divorce has destroyed their family. The day may seem endless to these forgotten souls—they can’t wait for it to end.
Jesus came to be a friend to the homeless, a companion to the needy, a comfort to those who mourn. His short time on earth testified to the love of an eternal Father who understood the kinds of pain and loneliness life here can bring.
In John 14:1-3 (NKJV) Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.”
Whatever your state this Valentine’s Day I wish you the joys of God’s love. While others here may have failed you, He never will.
Blessings!