JESUS, WILL YOU BE MY VALENTINE?

It seems that Christmas was just over when I walked into the
drug store and saw Valentine's Day cards on display. I thought, "Isn't this rushing it?" Over the next few weeks there were reminders everywhere that Valentine's Day was coming. All the florists were advertising-competing to have the best offer for their dozen red roses.

I saw advertisements for taking your sweetheart to dinner at special restaurants. There were ads displaying expensive gifts to buy to show her how much she was loved. I could hardly believe it when they made the announcement at church that there would be a special married couples retreat over Valentine's Day weekend. I overheard several mothers trying to arrange babysitters so that they could go away for a private weekend with their husbands.

One Sunday after church, I overheard two single ladies talking about hearing that one of the men in the church was going to propose to his girlfriend over a romantic candlelight dinner on Valentine's Day. As Valentine's Day came closer, it felt like my loneliness was growing bigger. I wanted a special someone to take me out to dinner! I wanted a sweetheart to send me a dozen roses!  I wanted someone to love me and to propose to me on Valentine's Day! I wanted a husband to go away with on a couples' retreat!

I was alone and hurting! Finally, on the night before Valentine's Day, I slumped down in my prayer chair, feeling sorry for myself and crying. "Jesus when will it be my turn! When will You send me that someone special I've been praying for? Don't You see how lonely I am? Don't You care that I'm hurting? Will anyone ever come along to love me?  You know there are no available men in our church! Where will I meet anyone Lord?"

The tears were hot on my cheeks as they headed down to my chin, but I didn't even care enough to wipe them away. As I sat there in my pain, I couldn't believe what I heard myself saying aloud, "Jesus, will You be my Valentine?" I just sat in my misery until I was "cried out" and decided to go on to bed since it was getting late. I slipped into my warm bed, looked out the window, and noticed that it had started to snow. I turned out the light and lay there watching it snow.

As I lay there, I felt a strong sense of the Lord's presence. In my heart I felt that the Lord was saying, "Yes, I'll be your Valentine! Instead of red rosed that quickly wilt and die, I've given you My red blood that covered all your sins and made you as white as the snow you are now watching! Instead of conditional love that the world knows, I give you an everlasting love that will not last just a lifetime but will live on into eternity. You want someone who will make you feel special and I have made you in My image; I have carved you in the palm of my hand.

I lay listening to my precious Saviour, my Friend, my Redeemer, the lifter of my head, my Comforter, my Counselor. I knew that I was loved - not just on Valentine's Day, but on every day! I quietly and peacefully fell asleep.

The next day, Valentine's Day, all day I felt love that was indescribable. It was as if Jesus and I had a secret. As I drove home from work that night on the snow covered street, I smiled to myself and thought, "What a Valentine's Day this has been!! Long after the roses have died and the heart-shaped box of chocolates have been eaten, my Valentine will still be with me. He will never leave me nor forsake me!! "Yes, Jesus, I'll be Your Valentine, and I'll never be lonely on Valentine's Day again!"