A Love Story

This has blessed me. I pray that I would do the same to my loved ones and love them deeply regardless of what happens.

I trust in God’s unfailing love, for ever and ever. Psalm 52:8b

Around Valentine’s Day most people think about love. With all of the media hype, even people who aren’t in love, think about love! Here, however, is a great story (author unknown) about the depths of real love; a love that goes far beyond romance; and a love that is instructive to all!

"It was a busy morning, about 8:30 a.m., when an elderly gentleman in his 80’s arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He stated that he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 a.m. I took his vital signs and had him take a seat knowing it would be over an hour before someone would be able to see him.

I saw him looking at his watch and decided since I was not busy with another patient that I would evaluate his wound. It had healed well, so I talked to one of the doctors and got the needed supplies to remove his stitches. While taking care of the wound we began a conversation.

I asked him if he had another doctor’s appointment that morning as he was in such a hurry. He told me no, but that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I then inquired about her health. He told me that she had been in the nursing home for awhile and that she had Alzheimer’s Disease. As we talked, I asked him if she would be worried if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was and that she had not recognized him in five years. I was surprised, and asked him why he was still going every morning to visit his wife even though she didn’t know who he is. He smiled and patted my hand and said,

'She doesn’t know me but I still know who she is.'

I tried to hold back tears as he left – I had goose bumps on my arm – and I thought to myself, 'That is the kind of love I want in my life.'"

We all want to be loved in that kind of way – a love that remains strong and unchanged even when we don’t recognize it! Thank God that He loves us in exactly in that way! Though we may not recognize it, feel it, appreciate it or even take it for granted, God’s love for us never changes! He is always there for us! And God’s love for us sets the example of how we are to love others: our spouses, children, close friends, casual friends – and strangers alike.

As we celebrate another Valentine’s Day, may you be reminded of God’s love and experience it in a new and fresh way – and pass that same kind of love on to the loved ones in your life!

GOING DEEPER:
1. Reflect on some of the ways that God has shown his love to you. Thank God for His love!

2. Consider some ways that you can express real, unchanging love to someone you love. Then commit to acting on those ways.

FURTHER READING:
Colossians 3:12-14
12Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

1 John 3:18
18Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

1 John 4:7.
7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

This devotional was written by Jim Liebelt.