A Thought for Valentine’s Day

Each year over 24 million Valentine’s cards are sent in the UK in what has become a multi-million pound industry. We spend pounds on cards, chocolates, flowers and cuddly toys, desperately hoping the one we fancy returns the favour! One year I received a tin of sardines through the post on Valentine’s Day! No comment!

It’s all rather a bizarre way to celebrate a day whose origins have been lost in the sands of time

It’s all rather a bizarre way to celebrate a day whose origins have been lost in the sands of time. The Catholic Church has 52 saints called Valentine, but the most likely origin is the Roman priest who during Claudius II’s ban on marriage (he thought it would deter young men from joining his army!) continued to perform marriages in secret. He was caught and sentenced to death. While in jail he restored the sight of the jailor’s daughter, with whom he’d fallen in love. On the day of his execution 14 February AD270 he sent her a farewell note signed “From, your Valentine”. In AD469 February 14 was set aside to honour St Valentine.

People used to believe that if a young lady saw a robin flying overhead on February 14, it meant she would marry a sailor! If she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man and be very happy. If she saw a goldfinch, she would marry a millionaire. A new twist to bird watching!

It used to be said that a girl who ran around the parish church 12 times at midnight would bump into her future husband at the end of lap 12. (Probably just arrived in the car with a blue flashing light or the one wearing a white coat!!)

we end up heart broken because the slushy romantic notions  don’t work out

But Valentine’s Day isn’t to celebrate heart shaped chocolate, red roses, cards with corny poems or cheesy songs on the radio. Valentine’s Day is about love. Many of us get caught up in the commercial hype and emotion because we long for love. And we end up heart broken because the slushy romantic notions we have often don’t work out as we had hoped.

The Bible says “Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13 v8). And how do we know what love is? Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers (1 John 3 v16).

The cross of Jesus demonstrates the greatest love this world has ever known

The cross of Jesus demonstrates the greatest love this world has ever known. The ultimate sacrifice so we would know what love is.

So this Valentine’s day, have fun, but remember to love like Jesus loves. And that means reaching out to those we are not naturally attracted to – the geek in class, the awkward guy in the office, the girl at work who never smiles. Be the love of Jesus today, and you’ll be amazed at how contagious it is. It’s also much more rewarding!

From
Your Valentine.

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