For many Valentine’s Day is the opportunity to demonstrate their love for their significant other or those that they love in life – children, parents, teachers, friends. Love is demonstrated with flowers and cards, chocolates, jewellery even to name just a few of the myriad of options available to us. But before it became an international celebration sponsored by Hallmark, before even Chaucer in the middle ages began the tradition of courtly love, there was a man called Valentine.
Valentine, a priest in the 3rd Century, helped persecuted Christians and performed marriage ceremonies when marriage was prohibited. For this he was martyred. He demonstrated love and compassion for his fellow people and paid for it with his life. But if Valentine’s Day is about love, we must travel even further back in time, to before time even existed but where God resided.
For the origin of love lies in God. God who not only demonstrates love, but is love personified. And with God there is no unrequited love. For He loves us more than we can possibly love Him. His intent, love and heart is for us.
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1)
“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 Valentine’s Day remember that you are loved and cherished by God.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
