LOVE
Today is Valentine’s Day. It is a day to give roses and candy and jewelry, along with dinner out, to your loved one. It is a day for love. Guys, if you are reading this after supper tonight, you may have already messed up!
Seriously, where did Valentine’s Day originate? What is its meaning? Why do we celebrate? There are cynics who simply say it is another of the so-called, “Hallmark Holidays,” a day made up by the card company and florists to boost their businesses. That is not really the case, though not everyone is a fan of the day.
St. Valentine was a Roman priest who was martyred, some say on February 14. One story says that he would secretly perform weddings for soldiers, because some believed that soldiers needed to remain unmarried in order to be fully devoted to their jobs. Valentine so believed in love that he would marry these young people so that they could share their love.
Today we celebrate Valentine’s Day in a number of ways. Even elementary school children may exchange cards and candy. People in love, both married and unmarried, will give the different gifts listed above to express their feelings. And good luck walking into a nice restaurant at 6 p.m. on Valentine’s Day without a reservation. As one who has done just that, let me tell you it is not a good idea.
The truth is that we need to practice love all year round. The Bible tells us that God is love, that is it is His very nature to love. And the Bible tells us that the most important commandment ever given is to love God, and then to love each other. Those were Jesus’ words. So, love truly matters to the Lord.
I would remind you of this. Love is more than a sappy emotion. Love is a commitment of the will. It is the keeping of vows, even when it is not easy to do so. Love does not quit at the first opportunity. It stays strong and stable.
We are grateful for God’s love for us. And as the Bible says in 1 John 4:19, “We love because He first loved us.”
