Christ, God’s Valentine
Webster’s dictionary defines Valentine as “a greeting card or small gift sent on Valentine’s Day, February 14. Sending a valentine to someone costs the sender something. Often there is effort spent in finding just the appropriate words. Time is invested in planning how to give the valentine. Money is spent or even sacrificed for the joy of another. The valentine though small may be priceless to the one who receives this gift. Most of us truly enjoy being the recipient of such attention.
Leader: The love of Christ is a valentine from Him to us as He motivates us in our giving to others. He planned purposefully to give this gift.
Response: “Greater love hath no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13
Training nationals in Cambodia Ablaze, Education for Evangelism/Outreach in Gambia, Africa,
Computers for Bible translation – Lutheran Bible Translators, Christian literature for China, are ministries that reach across races, classes, and cultures.
The words Hymn 535, How Wide the Love of Christ! Remind us:
How Wide the love of Christ!
It knows not class or race
But holds our one humanity
Within its broad embrace. (LSB 535)
Leader: God put great effort into seeking out mankind to rescue us. He sent us apostles, pastors, teachers to assure us of His love through His Word.
Response: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. For God sent not His son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 1:1 & 14
Project Southern Africa Fund – Rocky Mountain District LCMS
Training Pastors – Kyrgyzstan, Ghana Seminary draw men into ministry to manifest God’s patience in seeking out His children.
How long the love of Christ!
Its patience will not cease
Until this broken world is bound
in everlasting peace. (LSB 535)
Leader: The price of the valentine for us was agony, suffering and death on a cross. God sacrificed his only son for us to make our hearts pure and holy.
Response: “But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in money, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.” Ephesians 2:4
Yearning Youth Yonder at Lutheran Valley Retreat,New outreach center in Denver – Lutheran Blind Mission, Orphan Grain Train, Colorado West Division, provide mercies to the vulnerable in our state, our country and our world.
How high the love of Christ!
Beyond all thought it soars,
And yet upon our passing lives
Unmeasured mercy pours. (LSB 535)
Leader: This valentine was no small gift instead it was a priceless treasure. Nowhere could this valentine be bought with gold.
Response: “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” I Peter 1:18-19
LC-MS Southern District Recovery Assistance Inc., Trinity Hope feeding Haitian children, Lifting up Human Care/Parish Nurse Programs, Immanuel, Loveland CO, are ministries that assist those experiencing pain, hunger, and hopelessness.
How deep the love of Christ,
Descending to a cross!
He bears within His wounded hands
All human pain and loss. (LSB 535)
Leader: God’s valentine to us becomes His valentine to others through the work of the agencies we support with our mites. The pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters provide funding for the work to be done. The prayers that ascend to the Father as we place them in our Mite Boxes uplift, support, and encourage those workers, our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Response: “And I pray that you being rooted and established I love, may have power together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know that this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
All praise to You, O Christ!
For love whose depth and height,
Whose length and breadth fill time and space
With endless life and light!(LSB 535)
Prayer: Gracious Heavenly Father, You are to be praised above all for the valentine you send to us every day, your love. We praise you for the wondrous and saving work accomplished in your son, our Savior. We praise and thank you for the letters of the apostles and prophets, and for teachers who train us in your Word. As we are empowered by your Holy Spirit, we glorify your holy name and confess Jesus as Lord. We thank you with our lives, our service, and our mites that others may receive eternal life with you. Amen.
Written by Judy Piepkorn
February, 2010
Hymn 535, Lutheran Book of Worship
