My spouse and I have a favorite Valentine\u2019s Day memory \u2013 and it has almost nothing to do with us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We checked in with our reservation for Valentine\u2019s Day Fine Dining at White Castle. We sat at a table decorated with red-and-pink shiny confetti, an LED candle adding a glow of romance. We ate too many tiny cheeseburgers. It was awesome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As we were getting ready to leave, the couple next to us was receiving their fancy V-day tableside service. The server set down an entire platter of food between them \u2013 little burgers on top of little burgers, like a beefy pyramid. The woman stared down at the food in front of her, then burst out laughing. So! Many! Sliders! The joy and absurdity of that over-abundance of steamed beef patties just bubbled up out of her in spontaneous giggles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
God\u2019s love for us is like that plate full of sliders. It\u2019s abundant. It\u2019s more than we expect. Some people might even say it\u2019s \u201ctoo much.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do you remember when Jesus multiplied the loaves and fish? With only five loaves of bread and two fish, Jesus fed a crowd of thousands \u2013 and there were 12 baskets of food left over.<\/em> More than when they started (Matt. 14:13-21<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Or how about when Jesus turned water into wine? He didn\u2019t just roll out an extra barrel \u2013 he made somewhere between 630 and 946 bottles of wine! And it was good<\/em> wine \u2013 the steward said it was the best wine of the whole party (John 2:1-11<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Or, there\u2019s that especially frustrating parable: a landowner hires some workers for 12 hours, some for 8, some for just 2\u2026and he pays them all<\/em> for a whole day\u2019s work. When the all-day workers complain, the landowner says, \u201cAre you envious that I am generous?\u201d (Matt. 20:1-16<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n These stories are revelations of God\u2019s abundant love for us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So many of the powers around us and within us preach the bad news of scarcity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Advertisements manipulate us into believing that we don\u2019t have enough. Politicians convince us that if \u201cthey\u201d get more, \u201cwe\u201d get less. Our anxiety makes us pull inward to hang on tight to what we have. Comparing ourselves to the people around us can make us feel like we are not enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But God\u2019s love is set in front of us, and it\u2019s more than enough. It\u2019s so much that it overpowers all those other messages. God\u2019s love stands tall and strong as the capital-T Truth that helps us see the lies in the world\u2019s messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And God\u2019s truth is: There is enough. You are enough.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n And both of those things are true because God is more than enough.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n God serves a mountain of love to us. So let\u2019s dare to laugh \u2013 yes, even when things are hard; yes, even when we doubt. Because that much love \u2013 it can handle it all. It is more than enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNow to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.\u201d (Ephesians 3:20-21)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pr Kate<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rev. Katherine Museus Dabay<\/a> takes turns writing weekly devotions with Rev. James A. Wetzstein at Valparaiso University, where both serve as university pastors.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" My spouse and I have a favorite Valentine\u2019s Day memory \u2013 and it has almost nothing to do with us. 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