Heart-shaped cards display nymphs with bows, arrows that pierce our hearts, and words of love. Flowers also abound. Valentine’s Day is a dream come true for card makers and florists.
It’s a dream come true for those who receive cards and especially flowers. We are smitten with the arrows of love. When these arrows pierce our hearts, affection rises within us. This affection is an inclination of heart toward the one we love. As a result, we do extraordinary things for the object of our love.
Translate this idea to the divine and spiritual realm. Love for God is heartfelt affection for Him. Love for Jesus Christ translates to action. Jesus says, "He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me" (John 14:21).
What provokes this action? What brings about this love? It begins with God’s love for us. "We love, because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19).
The Holy Spirit is the arrow of God’s love piercing our hearts. We are smitten with affection for God by the Holy Spirit. "Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’" (Galatians 4:6).
The Holy Spirit also produces affection for doing God’s will. The commandments of God become "sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb" (Psalm 19:10).
