Pastor's Corner

February 2012

Grace Lutheran Church & School / St. Matthew's Church for the Deaf

GraceLu4U@yahoo.com 2222 Vauxhall Rd, Union, New Jersey 07083 Phone: 908-686-3965 • Fax: 908-686-5111 • TTY: 908-851-2004 With the month of February come thoughts of love with Valentine's Day almost right in the middle of the month. For us Christians, about a week later, we observe Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the Lenten season. That day and season certainly speak to us a very visual message of God's love. As we observe Valentine's Day, we do so by expressing our love for one another on that day, in particular, in various ways and by various means. We share cards with one another expressing our love of one another in words. Gifts of candy and flowers are another way in which we show our love for someone else on that day in a special way and manner. Many will dine out on that day as an expression of their love for one another. If nothing else, on that day we will try to be a little kinder to one another, expressing our love in that way and manner. However, the epitome of showing love for one another comes from God Himself. As St. Paul puts it, "God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:8) St. John, the apostle of love, puts it this way, "In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and gave His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sin." (I Jn. 4:10) As a result of this love of God for us, it as John writes a few verses later on, "We love because He first loved us." (I Jn. 4:19) May the love we share, show and express this Valentine's Day be reflective of, and based upon, God's love for us in Christ Jesus. If you would like to grow in God's love for you, be nurtured in that love or learn more about God's love for you, we invite you to do that with us here at Grace. Check our newsletter and calendar for worship times and Bible study opportunities. Note in particular the services we offer for the Deaf community.