{image by Annie Barnett, available from Be Small Studios. used with permission.}
Because Love that protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres is more dazzling than diamonds and more enduring than candy hearts:
Let love.
Let it melt the frozen and forgotten places, where the wild dancing has gradually slowed to solid ice while no one was looking.
Let love.
Let it wash over those multitudes, the harsh words, the friendly fire. Unclench those fists.
Let love.
Let it open the front door to the friend all shut up in her own head, let it linger on the couch til words come. Let it set another plate, wash the next load of laundry.
Let love.
Let it break that hard heart into a million little pieces.
Let love.
Let it bind up. And let it build up. Let it stitch together the broken into quilts of comfort and mercy.
Let love.
Let it hang onto threads of hope, choose joy again and again and again.
Let love.
Happy Valentine's Day, lovelies. Please go read the rest of Annie Barnett's blessed benediction here. (Find more of her gorgeous watercolors at Be Small Studios.)
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
