What a [wo]man desires is unfailing love. Proverbs 19:22

Unfailing love. It’s all this heart ever dreamed of since she can remember. Isn’t it what every little girl’s heart craves -forever love that never fails – like it’s woven into her DNA? I think so.

And so with every ounce of who she is, she searches the eyes of every man she encounters, beginning with Daddy. “Daddy, do you love me?” she asks. “Daddy, don’t you think I’m beautiful?” she whispers. “Will you love me forever?” she pleads, even when he’s walking out the door. Always searching. Always asking. Always needing unfailing love.

Beneath the bridal veil and lace her eyes rest upon her groom. They promise love, forever-unfailing love. And from that day forward her little girl eyes search his. “Honey, do you love me?” she asks.  “Darling, am I beautiful?” she whispers. “Will you love me forever?” she pleads, even many years later. Always searching. Always asking. Always needing unfailing love.

In the birthing room, she holds her little boy, her little girl and looks deep into their tiny faces. Her fingers trace lines that look like his and hers combined and holds them close. In their ears she whispers, “Baby, I love you.” “Baby, you are beautiful.” “Baby, I will love you forever.” But even her love falters and fails sometimes.

And she wonders, is unfailing love possible this side of heaven?

Unfailing love is born only from perfection. Imperfect man cannot love unfailingly – only God can – because God is pure love. And out of love, God plants a longing for unfailing love deep within our souls; a desire so strong that we search until we find it. A desire that always leads us back to the source of love – to God himself. That’s God’s greatest desire.

Yes, unfailing love found in God – even this side of heaven – is possible. It is our greatest desire to know and be known and God’s greatest desire that we know him. And who better to know us and love us than the One who created us – knit us in our mother’s womb – and calls us by name? Oh, what a mystery that the God who holds this universe together in all it’s wonder and beauty, knows us by name – desires us to know him the same.

God’s unfailing love is what we ought teach our sons and daughters to desire above all else. It goes far beyond the playground crushes or tween-age crushes; it satisfies long after the high school dance halls empty or the marriage vows echoes into parenthood and beyond. It’s God’s unfailing love that satisfies beyond life’s ups and downs, in good times and in bad.

Yes, this is unfailing love: that God first loved us and sent is one and only son, Jesus – not to condemn us – but to make a way for us; a way back to God and his unfailing love.

Happy Valentine’s Day,