"I LOVE YOU!--8 Valentines from God"

The flyleaves of my Bibles are covered with Bible Answer references. Who knows what catastrophe will walk through the Study door next?! My goal was to have a scriptural antidote ready to defuse the devil's barrage before it exploded the church member coming for help in my next appointment. Moving into my first Chaplain's Office, I found a fascinating resource on the shelf! A spiral-bound pocket reference with marginal tabs offered scripture passages for every malady from amputation to zinc overdose! What I discovered in time shouldn't have surprised me. Everybody from grievers to the addicted benefited most from the same thing! Everybody feels better when God tells them, "I Love You!" Here then, are my eight favorite "I Love You" valentines from God...

1. More Precious than Jewels “And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.” Malachi 3:17

2. I know Your Name “But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine… Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee.” Isaiah 43:1,4

3. My Own “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God… Beloved, now are we the sons of God.” 1 John 3:1,2

4. Always On My Mind “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls [face panels] are continually before me.” Isaiah 49:15-16

5. My Heart is Throbbing “Christ is affected as his weakest follower is affected. The sympathy of Christ is such that he can not be an indifferent spectator of his children's sufferings. Not a sigh is breathed, not a pain felt, not a grief pierces the soul, but the throb vibrates to the Father's heart." Ellen White, The Oriental Watchman, December 1, 1909, "A Friend to the Friendless, paragraph 5.

6. I Feel it Too “In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.” Isaiah 63:

7. I’ll Help You Understand “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” Jeremiah 33:3

8. Holding Your Hand “I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.” Psalm 73:23

Now, you've heard the affectionate voice of the universe's most gigantic heart telling you how He feels about you, too. Like the little candy hearts you received from 3rd grade classmates, except He has the power to make it come true, God says, "Be Mine!"

Your friend and HIS,

Dave Smith