The Beatles sang, “All you need is love.”

The J. Geils Band insisted, “Love stinks.”

And Tesla reminded us that “Love is all around you.”

If all we need is love, love stinks, and love is everywhere, then perhaps we’re living with a bit of a dilemma!

Whether we admit it or not, love is something we’re all wired for. We long to be known, accepted, and connected. Yet relationships can be fragile and complicated, and sometimes deeply painful. The late Freddie Mercury once said, “You can have everything in the world and still be the loneliest man… Success has brought me world idolisation and millions of pounds, but it’s prevented me from having the one thing we all need: a loving, ongoing relationship.”

Those words land close to home for many of us.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, love is everywhere: cards, flowers, dinners, and expectations. For some, it’s a celebration of connection. For others, it quietly highlights loss, disappointment, or loneliness. Many simply choose to ignore it altogether.

But I want to gently suggest there is another kind of love worth considering, one that isn’t dependent on romance, success, or getting everything right. Christians believe this love is revealed through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Credits: Supplied Image;

During his life, Jesus demonstrated love by the people he healed and spent time with and in his teaching he spoke often about love, not as a vague feeling, but as a way of living. Love God. Love your neighbour. Treat others as you would want to be treated. Simple words, yet endlessly challenging when taken seriously.

Faith in Christ doesn’t remove pain or guarantee happiness. But it offers something deeper: meaning, hope, forgiveness, and a love that doesn’t disappear when circumstances change.

This Valentine’s Day, instead of dismissing faith outright, perhaps consider taking a small step. Visit a local church. Open a Bible. Or simply offer an honest prayer: “God, if you are there, reveal yourself to me. Help me understand your love for me.”

Blessings, Rev. Steven Chisholm