Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and while a great deal of people are going out with their spouses or significant others or are looking forward to their annual gifts of chocolate and flowers for this special day of love, there are some people out there who are depressed because, since they are not expecting any dates or flowers or chocolates or perhaps not even a Valentine's card this year, they are under the crazy yet all too real impression that they are not loved...by anyone. But I am here today to announce that there is someone who exists who loves us more than we will ever know or deserve to be loved. His name is Jesus.

I don't know about you, but I think that dying on the cross for faults that weren't even his, just so we can gain the hope of spending eternity in Heaven is a WAY larger token of love than any rose or heart shaped box of candy. Christ thinks we all are to, literally, die for. Humans are not perfect, although we at times may like to think that we are, but to have someone love us so much that he would die for us, and to have someone love us so much that he would want us to spend eternity with him in his kingdom, is amazing.

I have a message for anyone reading this: no matter what you've done, or what your past is like, NOTHING will ever stop Jesus from loving you unconditionally. He didn't die for the good and perfect, he died for everyone. He loves you, and wants you to come running into his open arms. Like the prodigal son, he wants us to come home to him. He will never hold our past against us-he isn't interested in that. He wants us.

And if that isn't the best Valentines gift there ever was, I don't know what is.