HEAVEN'S VALENTINE

HEAVEN’S VALENTINE
A valentine arrived today
On the envelope was my name
I opened it and sat down to read
The words igniting true love’s flame

The valentine in my hands
Was in the shape of a cross
The words inside shared with me
Just what this love had cost

“Dear one,” it said, “so long ago
I laid my royal robes down
Said goodbye to my Father
And set aside my crown

“I became flesh and blood,
For you I became small;
My cries echoed through Bethlehem
As I lay in an animal stall.

“The days past and became years
As I grew to be a man;
Staying close to my Father
As I carried out His plan

“Boldly I spoke of my Father’s love
Caring for the oppressed and the weak;
Raising the dead, feeding the hungry
For it was the lost I came to seek

“Though I invited them to be mine
To my words most paid no heed;
They thought they were good enough
For Salvation they saw no need.

“The people gathered shouting out names
And then chanted ‘crucify him’
I was beaten until I no longer looked human
The blood on the pavement telling a story grim.

“The soldiers placed on me a purple robe
Then wove together a crown of thorns
Shoving it deep into my head
Mocking, spitting, hate-filled scorn.

‘They removed the robe but left the thorns
On my bloody shoulders placed a cross of wood,
People lined the dusty road to watch, some wept;
Rulers nodded approval; thinking soon I’d be gone for good

“I again lay down on a bed of wood
But this one a splintered cross
my cries again filled the air
As the pounding of nails echoed redemption’s cost

“Suspended there between heaven and earth,
Heaven’s spotless Lamb spilt blood
Made possible mans reconciliation to God
Repentance and forgiveness found in the cleansing flood

“Three days later in the stillness of dawn
Found the tomb empty just as I’d said,
The angels told the women the joyous news,
‘He’s not here; He’s risen from the dead!’”

Motionless I sat there reading
Remembering how once I was lost
How He’d pursued me through my darkest days
Made me His own and I wept at the cost

As I sat quietly weeping, He drew nearer still
His letter written on my heart line by line
“I gave all I had, bled and died, yes it’s so
To bring forgiveness and make you mine”

I lifted my face to meet His gaze,
In His bottle He gathered my tears.
No longer condemned, forgiven, set free
I’ve been His now for many years.

He didn’t die to make us champions
Or give us fame or bring us wealth
He didn’t come to improve our self-esteem
Or give us better health.

He came to take away our sin
He is the life, the truth, the way
Clothes us in His righteousness
Face to face with Him we’ll be one day.

What must you do to know Him?
Oh, dear one, would you like to know?
Acknowledge your sin, put your trust in Him
He’ll cleanse your heart and make you whole

Oh my friend, do you know Him?
His Word stands unchanged by time
He’s King Jesus, Lord, and Savior
God sent Him for you: Heaven’s Valentine.

An Original Conversations at the Well
© By Diana Morgan, February 16, 2013