Pause for Prayer

By Karen Schoeppach

Hearts, hearts, hearts! They are everywhere. You see pink and red all around. Valentine’s Day is here! Cards, candy, flowers, and other gifts are purchased and presented to loved ones. Special dinners, at home or at a restaurant, will be planned. There will probably be a few marriage proposals and even some weddings. For some there will be romance and celebration. Others will find the day touched with a bit of sadness as they remember loved ones lost. In spite of all the hype and hoopla, the day isn’t a happy one for all.

Lord, we are quick to think of the happy aspects of Valentine’s Day. Many businesses find big profits in pushing us to buy things to show love. But Lord, you are the best example of what it means to show love. With Your word as our guide, we learn that what we say and do shows love better than what we can buy. You also remind us that not everyone is feeling joyful. Let us be mindful of those for whom Valentine’s Day pinches their hearts with sadness and feelings of loss. Lord, lift their spirits. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.