“Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him,
for he shields him all day long,
and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.”
Deuteronomy 33:12

Almost everyone longs for romance. Little wonder. God was the One to think it up; we were made for relationship.

When God created Adam, he knew He wasn’t done. “It is not good for the man to be alone.” So He gave him someone who was literally “bone of his bone, flesh of his flesh.” Eve was a companion as well as a lover, a covenant partner with whom Adam could walk, enjoy sunsets, share meals, share kids, and learn to love unselfishly as God loved.

But fairy tales, not Scripture, speak of “happily ever after.” On this side of heaven, at least, relationships don’t always pan out. When we are contending with the free will of another human being, things get complicated. Relationships unravel. Romance fizzles. Dazzling beauties get old and frumpy. Things change.

True love weathers these storms and transitions – true love, though, only happens when people are true.

Today as many prepare to celebrate the love of their lives, others are feeling loveless as well as hopeless. Valentine’s Day, perhaps more than any other holiday, can be a long and painful 24 hours. If you have lost your love through death, abandonment, rejection, or divorce, you have our sincere prayers today….

Father,

Thank you that in your Word you promised to be near to the broken-hearted. We recognize that your Word is as good as your word. You meant everything you said, and it holds true today. So, Lord, as you draw near to this beloved, heart-broken lover, we ask that you would make manifest your presence by giving him/her the gift of hope.

We boldly request that from your hand which extends from your great heart of mercy you would heal the deep emotional wounds caused by disappointment.

You are not a god who plays with our lives like a Chess game to win over us. No, you play to ensure that we win. Therefore we know that with every betrayal, every sin against us, and every misstep we make ourselves, you recalibrate the chess board to give us another opportunity for success.

So, Lord, use this pain and what feels like failure to bring about a new day for the broken-hearted. May encouragement come from unforeseen quarters. May joy be found bubbling up from deep within. May wings sprout to cause them to soar again. And with the sunrise on Valentine’s Day, may new horizons be discovered so that the pain and grief will dissipate bringing joy with the morning light.

Amen

For more encouragement, here is another blogpost you might find helpful – A Prayer For Anyone With a Broken Heart  http://www.beliefnet.com/columnists/prayerplainandsimple/2009/08/a-prayer-for-anyone-with-a-broken-heart.html