I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.
And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. Genesis 2:3
Suppose my girlfriend told me this Valentine’s day that she wanted pink roses. I may not be the brightest Romeo in the world, but I know better than to go to the flower shop, thinking, “a rose is a rose and all roses are alike, I will just pick one. Let’s see, everyone else is getting red roses, so since it doesn’t really make any difference I will just get her a red rose. I know she asked for pink but what difference does it make?” If I love my girlfriend I will get her the color rose she specifically mentioned. Likewise, if I really love God, I will observe the Sabbath day that He mentioned, and not just say, after He mentioned the seventh-day, that it really doesn’t matter.
Speaking of God and Valentine’s day, you know how I know that God is really love? Because He looks out for our needs instead of just thinking about Himself in our relationship with Him. If you are in a romantic relationship, or any other relationship for that matter, with a person who isolates you from your family and friends, you can be sure this is not love. It is a psychopath! Only psychopaths try to isolate you from others. Notice what God says in Genesis 2:18, “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” God could have said, “I am God and I am all that Adam needs.” But that would not be a God of love. That would be a psychopath. Even God realizes He is not all that we need! God realizes we need a community, so God creates Eve so that Adam can have a help meet, but even beyond that, Adam and Eve can now create a community. God encourages us in Hebrews 10 to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. God is love. He is healthy and not a psycho-ego maniac. If God understands that He is not all we need, but that we also need a community, then shouldn’t we all realize that in order to be healthy, we need to be a part of a church and community, and not live our lives as hermits? Also, shouldn’t we realize too, that our loved ones need space and time with other friends too? If our relationships are truly healthy, and motivated by love instead of ego, we will not be smothering or isolating our loved ones from others. Healthy couples and healthy families are active in their church and communities and are not jealous when the other member in the relationship has friends. If you are involved with someone who thinks they are all you need, and isolating you from family and friends, then they are really messed up, thinking they are even greater than God. Not even God thinks He is all you need.