Be Mine

By: Jessica Wilkinson © 2001

Every year, right after New Year's, the Christmas decorations come down in the stores, and the Valentines decorations go up. Shelves are filled with candy hearts and valentines cards galore. They have everything available, from fancy cards with beautiful poems meant for a spouse or other loved one, to the boxes of valentine cards for kids. You know the ones, each with a picture of a popular cartoon character and some little saying like "Be my Valentine" or "Be mine".

The most loving of all valentines replaces the picture of the cuddly cartoon character with that of a cross. Hanging from that cross is the Son of God calling across time and space to each of us with the same message. "Be mine." It is an invitation filled with unconditional love for each and every one of us. It's an invitation that is not reserved for Valentine's day only. No matter what the time or the place, Jesus is there to make us "His".

And yet, love between people doesn't end with an initial invitation and its acceptance, and neither does our relationship with Christ. It is ongoing. When two people are in love, they usually don't need to announce it to the world. It shows in most everything they do. Remember the time you spent dating? Remember trying to squeeze every possible moment together out of the day? Remember trying to do things that you knew would please the other person? You were devoted to him or her. You were "theirs".

It is the same with our relationship with Christ. Daily we make choices regarding the use of our time, money, and talents. Daily we are faced with opportunities where we could choose to glorify God or to seek our own comfort. "Choose you this day whom you will serve". Are we serving the One to whom we belong? Can we say with Joshua, "As for me and my house, we serve the Lord"? Do we spend time with him? Can others who are watching us tell that we are "in love" with our Savior? Is it obvious that we are "His"?

Valentine's Day offers a chance to renew and revitalize our human relationships. This year, let's take the opportunity to renew and revitalize our spiritual relationship as well.

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