Now that the flowers and chocolates have been devoured and admired, life can finally get back to normal after V-day. For all the married folk, Valentine’s Day was a glorified excuse to get frisky in the bedroom or pampered and spoiled. The embittered single person deemed the holiday “Singles Awareness Day” and the happily attached preferred to swoon in their intoxicated smooch fest after hours. Personally, I am thankful that the day is behind us for the simple fact that I can build up my bank account before the next wave of holiday hype is upon us. Thankfully, it’s almost over, folks. Easter is the last major holiday until July. God bless America.
I suppose I should apologize if I sound cynical. I have no reason to be sad or bitter about anything because I am married and I did receive my fair share of pampering this weekend. I have a good man and I’m thankful for him. However, I couldn’t help but feel some grief for those who spent the day in solitude. I have many people in my life who are either not attached to anyone significant or simply cannot be with the one they love at this time. Honestly, it breaks my heart and if you’re one of those who celebrated Singles Awareness Day yesterday, I was thinking of you and praying for you.
Yesterday morning I read in the book of Genesis about Rachel and Leah, two sisters married to the same man. The situation was quite dysfunctional, even by today’s standards. While my devotional centered on the character of Rachel and her sorrows and joys, I could not help but feel drawn toward her sister, Leah. Leah was the unloved wife, the one battling for her husband’s affections. Rachel had Jacob but Leah had children and that made Rachel exceedingly jealous. Not only was Leah vying for her husband’s love, she had to deal with her sister’s raging jealousy over child rearing.
She strived to make Jacob love her by breeding sons but she would never feel good enough. Her sorrow consumed her and the only way she knew to deal with it was to keep bearing children. Out of Leah’s sorrow and anger she taunted her younger sister, watching Rachel writhe with her own inner demons. She probably missed their friendship and I imagine she felt quite alone in the world. Surrounded by people she loved, she herself remained unloved, even hated. My heart breaks for her and every woman like her.
For the woman who feels not good enough, alone, and in constant competition with the world, my heart cries. I understand the agonizing pain of not feeling good enough, of being surrounded by people and feeling completely alone in the world. I understand and so too, does the Lord your God. His name is Jesus and he too has known the pain of solitude.
On the day he hung on the cross, his heart cried out, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me!” At that moment he understood loneliness more than any other human being on the planet. Separated from the love of his Father, friends, and family Jesus was alone, broken, and completely despondent. It would be three long days before he could return to love again. When he did, he made a way for each of us to go there with him.
Because Jesus suffered in his loneliness he made a way for us to be wholly, completely loved in ours. Unlike most men, he keeps every single promise, he always wants to hear you talk, and he truly listens to everything you say. His love is more perfect, more real and lasting than any other. In His eyes you always good enough, always beautiful and you are always loved completely, madly, and infinitely. In a world full of ugly green frogs, He makes a darn good Prince.
Yesterday I grieved for the grieving but today I am rejoicing in God my Savior. Care to join me?
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About Sherry Castelluccio
Sherry grew up in San Jose, CA. In 1996 she moved to Antioch where she graduated from Antioch High School. In 1999 she admitted herself to a local hospital where she was treated for depression. This life changing decision led her to enter several recovery groups including the 12 Step Spiritual Journey class, Anger Management, and victims of sexual abuse. These experiences would form the foundation for the strong spiritual thread that runs through each story that she continues to write. In 2001 she began her walk with Jesus Christ. Shortly thereafter, she met and married her husband, a licensed minister with the Pentecostal Church of God. They have three children.When she is not writing, Sherry enjoys reading and singing on her church worship team. She also writes her own sermons once or twice a month and creates her own Sunday- School lessons that she teaches to the youth.
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