Lighthouse-Academy: Love is More Than Chocolates by Becky Van Vleet #devotional

Sunday, February 18, 2024

Love is More Than Chocolates by Becky Van Vleet #devotional

Love is More Than Chocolates

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

John 15:12 (NKJV)

Charles Morgan, who played a leading role in the development of transportation in the nineteenth century, once said, “There is no surprise more magical than the surprise of being loved. It is God’s finger on man’s shoulder.”

As Christians, we believe that love is a central driving force in our spiritual lives, the basis for all being. We understand love to be more than chocolates on Valentine’s Day.

The ability to love comes from God. In fact, we read God is love in 1 John 4:16. God loves us not for who we are or what we’ve done, but for who He is. I don’t think we will ever be surprised that God loves us. But I like the word picture that God’s finger is on my shoulder.

Years ago, my father led the congregation to sing the inspiring hymnal, “God is Love” at my childhood church. The third refrain goes like this:

How happy is our portion here,
God is love!
His promises our spirits cheer,
God is love!
He is our sun and shield by day,
Our help, our hope, our strength and stay;
He will be with us all the way;
God is love!

God started a love group—His church. He modeled love when He sent His only Son to Calvary. And with this, He gave us a command to love our brothers and sisters. How can you demonstrate love to someone else this week?

Becky Van Vleet

Becky Van Vleet is a retired teacher and principal and award-winning multi-genre author. She has been published in Guideposts, The Country Register, and Christian Devotions Ministry. Her children’s picture books are the recipients of the 2020 Excellence in Editing award as well as the Purple Dragonfly award in 2020 and 2021. She and her husband make their home close to Colorado Springs where she enjoys gardening, hiking, oil painting, power walking, and spending time with her family, especially reading books to her grandchildren.

Becky is the author of Unintended Hero, a true story about her father’s battles, experiences, and adventures in WWII aboard the USS Denver. She is passionate about sharing the values from the Greatest Generation and enjoys speaking to high school classes about patriotism.

A member of ACFW and Allauthor, Becky has devoted her website to creating and preserving family memories and sharing family stories for the next generations through her monthly blogs.

You can find her at: https://beckyvanvleet.com. She would love to hear from you, especially if you have a family story to share!