February, 2006 Here's My Heart... Go in almost any store right now and you will see them. Oh yes, you can't miss them. Most of them are red in color, and all of them are shaped like hearts. Some are in the form of a card, while some are made of chocolate. And, it is the absolute busiest month of the year for the floral business. You know what it is, don't you? Sure, it's "Valentine's Day"! Can't you still remember those Valentine parties at school when you were a child? It was always so important to give (and get) just the right card for the right person! And, there were those little hard pieces of candy with words like, "Be Mine", "Be My Valentine", etc., etc. Yes, it's the month for hearts, flowers, candy, and it revolves around the word "LOVE". Interesting, isn't it? "Do you love Me?" was the question. You remember it, don't you? Jesus asked it to Simon Peter, and it is recorded in the Gospel of John. "Simon, do you love ME? No, I mean do you REALLY love Me? No, I mean do you REALLY R-E-A-L-L-Y love ME?" It was a question of commitment, but it revolved around the depth of Simon Peter's LOVE for the Savior. Then, Jesus would add, "Well, if you do REALLY, REALLY, REALLY love Me, you will make a total commitment of your life to Me." "Jesus, Jesus, How I Love Him, How I've Proved Him O'er And O'er". "My Jesus, I Love Thee, I Know Thou Art Mine." "Jesus Is The Sweetest Name I Know; And He's Just The Same, As His Holy Name. And, That's The Reason Why I Love Him So, Cause Jesus Is The Sweetest Name I Know." Yet, I think He's still asking, "Do you REALLY, REALLY, REALLY love Me?" And, if we can answer, as did Simon Peter, "Yes, Lord, You know I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY love You", then let's show it by the depth of our commitment to His Lordship. So, go ahead (and especially you men) and get those red cards shaped like a heart. Buy that box of chocolates. Send those red flowers. It makes life a lot easier (ha)! But, don't forget the bigger question, you know, the one from Jesus, "Do you REALLY, REALLY, REALLY love Me?" And, how will you answer? God bless you. -Jim Clayton, Senior Pastor