Orignially a day to celebrate a group of martyrs who died for their Christian faith, it is now a day all too famous for cheesy cards, red roses and cuddly toys.
Now if love and feeling can be expressed in those, perhaps that is fine. But perhaps a challenge to you - if Citygate Students and Twenties are to be a group of people that live differently to the world, how then do we show love.
This passage, so often repeated without the full impact of it's truth is a real challenge to how we are to love.
1 Corinthians 13:1-8
1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails.
Whether you are in a relationship or not, I challenge you to practically show love to someone.
If that means being patient with an annoying relative, be patient. If that means not showing envy, do not be jealous of those who perhaps are on a date. If that means forgiving, and speaking well of others, do just that.
Rejoice in truth. And perhaps rejoice even more in the truth that God is love, and therefore we follow a God whose love knows no ends.
Extend the love that you have experienced by following Jesus, to those that are yet to know him. Lets get practical. Forget the materialistic view of things, forget what the world says about love - go the extra mile and show what love really is, defined by God, and not by man.
With love in Christ, have a very blessed day.
Vicki x
PS - a blog post about Chicken Time will be coming shortly, so make sure to check it out.
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