The best love story on Valentine's Day

"About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”)."(Matthews 27:46)

I read today the crucifixion event according to Matthews. Mark's gospel recorded a slightly different word - “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (Mark 15:34) but is translated into the same message in English. (lavistachurchofchrist.org gave a very clear explanation of why there is a difference between the two writers and why Jesus' cry may have been a fulfillment of a prophecy in Psalms 22:1).

So this is the best love story of all time:
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16). This love comes with a very big price. Not only does God the Father have to give up His one and only Son, the Son Himself experienced not only the physical pain of the crucifixion, but the emotional pain of being forsaken by His loving Father.

A month before my father's death, he wrote me a portion of the famous scripture chapter on love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a:
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."

He wrote it on a traditional Chinese calligraphy scroll. I was not home at the time. His health was failing rapidly. According to my brother he made many drafts, only two of which did not contain errors. I received a copy (see photo) and my younger brother received the other copy. He wrote it to encourage us in our faith journey. To my knowledge he never made an open profession to become a Christian but I'd like to think that these words he wrote had touched him deeply.

So on this Valentine's day, what have I learned to love the way Jesus loves the world? Philippians 2:1-8 reminded me (and I will commit it to memory):
"Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross! "