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Dear Members and Friends of Heart of the Shepherd,
 February is often called the “Love” month because of Valentine’s Day on the 14th, so allow me to share with you a Once upon a time story.
| | Once upon a time a young man and young woman fell in love and got married. After the honeymoon was over, the young man went back to his job. When payday came around, he was bubbling over with ideas as to the presents he could get her that would show her how much he loved her.
But first he thought that he had to set aside enough money for his “night out with the boys,” and then there was the payment for his fancy sports car, and he couldn’t forget to put aside funds to cover the football party with his friends, and his rounds of golf, as well as a few other odds and ends he would need before the next paycheck, not to mention the house payment and money for groceries.
When he finished all his calculations, he dismissed the notion of buying his new bride a present to show her how much he loved her, after all, he did provide the money for the house payment and groceries. What more could she expect?
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To my knowledge, that is not a true story, although you may know people who treat their loved ones in that fashion. None of us would say that such a person’s behavior demonstrates love. In fact, we would question that person’s sincerity and might wonder if he really loves his spouse at all. To love someone means to put the other person’s needs and interests before my own…to give our very best, not what’s left over after we’ve satisfied our needs.
God loved and loves us and gave the very best He had, His very own Son, Jesus. We say that we love God, and yet, when it comes to demonstrating that love, it’s so easy to behave like the husband in our story and give God what little is left over after we have taken care of our needs. When that happens, like the husband, we may think our love is great, but in reality, we know it’s not.
God knows what’s best for us and His church. That’s why He tells us to put Him first on our list of priorities, not second, third, fifth, or last. He expects to be first, and He expects us to demonstrate our love and commitment to Him “not only with our lips, but also with our lives.” He requires much of us because He has given much to us (Luke 12:48)! He says, “Freely you have received; freely give (Matthew 10:8)…Freely I gave you My Son (John 3:16), who lived and died for you so you could have life abundantly right now and in heaven forevermore” (John 10:10). Is any gift or demonstration of our love too great to make in response to that Great Gift of God’s love? Expect Extraordinary Blessings in 2010
As We – IN FAITH – ON GOD DEPEND! 
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