Last Wednesday, the 10th, a shipment of twenty-thousand roses arrived at the port in Amsterdam.. The shipment originated in Bogota, Colombia, and then stopped over in Puerto Rico. Somewhere along the route the roses gained a little weight; about twenty pounds to be exact. I know you are already way ahead of me. The extra little baggage was cocaine. The drug was found in cellophane packets hidden in boxes containing the roses. Once found and officials notified two men were arrested and an investigation started. The cocaine had an estimated street value of about 1.3 million euros, or almost 1.8 million dollars. The Netherlands is a major flower trading hub, home to the world's biggest flower auction house and is the source of 60 percent of the world's flower exports.
Valentine’s Day is a holiday that exudes Christianity, because it is the holiday of love. I suppose they have a point; after all God is Love. However, I am not so sure the world has the same definition of love as is displayed in and through Christ our Savior. There is more in love than just roses, candy, and dinner out. We can read John’s inspired words that reveal the hidden “faces” of love: "See what love the Father has given us! … God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him" (1 John 3:1, 4:9). Those characteristics of true love originate with Jesus, which (not by chance) is our sermon message for both services on this day of “love.” So this Valentines Day I pray the “hidden” faces of love will not be hidden any longer.