I love the color red! I figuered it out after one Christmas when I had put all the decorations away and everything looked drab. The red was gone, and my house looked as if it were in black and white.
I have added many accessories around the house since that Christmas that are red: red berry wreaths, candles, pillows, picture frames and quilts...all in different shades of red. Red stands out and the eye catches it immediately. I love it and never get tired of it!
On Valentine's Day we celebrate love and a red heart symbolizes that special love we have for our families and friends. I love the shape of a heart and what that stands for. The Bible speaks about hearts many times...one of my favorite scriptures is: Psalm 51:10 "Create in me a pure heart O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." We can choose to have a heart of compassion or a heart full of sin.
Since God looks at a man's heart and not the outward appearance, I ask God daily to give me a heart of purity. When my heart is pure, I tend to have pure motives. The struggle in this world of staying pure in heart I think is a Christian's true struggle...it is every day, every moment. We are surrounded by things and situations that are polluted. Our culture dictates it.
In my daily abiding with Him, I struggle to find as much as I can to surround myself with Him...I use books, devotions, my Bible, music...my thoughts and prayers turn to Him too. As Christians we feel this struggle...how to live in this world knowing there is a better place for us, and not to be of this world. I find that I must start my day with Him, otherwise this world will dictate my day. God's infinate love asks me first off to remain with Him...I try to keep my heart focused on Him. When I do, the path is clear and easy to follow. God's way is very simple and His burden is light...my way is confused often times, and the world's way is overwhelming for sure.
I pray for the Holy Spirit to fill my heart with love...a pure love that only God can give. And when I allow this to happen, my heart does fill with Grace. There is such purity in this Grace...God's Grace for me and my Grace for others. I see His forgiveness for me and I learn that forgiveness for others is best. No judgement, no keeping track. I wonder when we show Grace to others, does God look at us and say: '' ahh, now you get it!"
The color red also reminds me of Christ's blood shed for me on the cross. His blood, His love, His life, His Grace...all for me...all to give me a heart full of love...a heart full of Grace. And so as we remember Valentine's Day and those we love, let us not forget Christ's pure love for us...a love that is divine, infinite, mighty and Sovereign.
Romans 5:5 "...because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us."
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