By Akyena Brantuo Benjamin

Today is 14th February, a day of love.

Yes, a day of love.

So it has come to represent.

A day of love for that special person in your life,

That wonderful angel who makes your heart sing and drum in your chest .

That person who exists to make life worth living.

What else will matter in this world if not for that person?

Obviously nobody but you alone come to mind.

Your beautiful personality and character are holding my thoughts and imaginations captive right now.

It's been a while now since your light first illuminated every dark spot in my life.

Before we met, I did not know how to love. Life had dealt so mercilessly with me.

Trust and faith in the world were not part of me.

But this was a mutual feeling between me and the world.

The world did not also love, trust or have faith in me to give me a second chance to succeed.

Now my cup runs over with love, trust and faith in myself.

You have made it possible for me to see the good in others and the world.

You gave me a second chance to succeed.

But you gave me more than this.

You gave me a new life - one of dignity and purpose.

It came at no cost.

I only needed to have faith in you and your word -

that you love me dearly.

That you will never leave or forsake me.

That even if my family and friends give up on me, there will still be you to look up to.

Looking back, it is only fair that today being a day of love, I celebrate your loyal friendship and tell of your unfailing love to the rest of the world.

You have been a friend closer than a brother.

Indeed you have been closer to me than the clothing I wear.

Like the mighty oak tree in Akyem Oda, you provide comforting shade when the sun is high in the sky.

When I put my head on your chest, I feel safe like hiding under the wings of an eagle.

Like the love and care of a mother, what are you not prepared to do for my sake?

On this day of love what will be adequate to celebrate your faithfulness?

How bad it hurts when on special moments like this words fail to say exactly what we want to say and how we feel.

You deserve more than the world, else I will have labored to buy it for you.

But please note this,

I love you.

I love only you.

Since you have been the God of my life, take me as your slave.

I will forever worship you in love and tell the world of your love to me.

Thank you Jesus. I will always love you.

1 Have mercy on me, O God according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.

4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.

5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.

14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Saviour, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.

15 Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise.

16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

Psalm 51