Celebrating Valentine's Day with God

M
illions upon millions around the world celebrated Valentine’s Day last week. Now, I believe many of you know that Valentine’s Day commemorates several Christian saints with the name Valentinus, one of whom, St. Valentinus of Rome, a priest, was executed on this day, Feb. 14, 269 A.D.  Legend has it that St. Valentinus healed his jailer’s daughter and, just prior to his death, sent the girl a letter, signing it “Your Valentine.” Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Millions of cards/notes school children swapped on the 14th repeated the same endearment!
Yet, the romantic notions present in today’s Valentine’s Day thinking didn’t occur until 1,100 years after St. Valentinus supposedly scribed his note to jailer Asterius’ daughter.  Chaucer, writing in the 14th century, was theoretically the first to connect the day with romantic love.  And this developed more and more until, today, Valentine’s Day rivals Christmas for the number of cards sent, candy consumed, and gifts given. A big day, for sure!
But, you may be asking, what has all this Valentine’s Day hype today have to do with our Savior and His church? Well, perhaps we need to remember the tragic events initially giving rise to God’s people memorializing this date. The martyrdom of God’s people’s leaders! The men and women who sacrificed their lives to exemplify their faith in and commitment to Jesus led to the day’s remembrance. God’s people loved these individuals, grew in faith through their proclamation of His Word, and gained confidence as some of them also faced torture and death. The love of their leaders buttressed their love of their Lord.
So, all of this derives from the sacrifice our Savior endured to make us His “Valentines”.  The romance was there long before Chaucer linked love to the Valentine. It’s God’s love affair with His human creatures — sinful though they are. God sent humans a card, too. Many cards, actually! Every Gospel passage in His Word is an open card of Love … a Love that always remains fervent. Generally celebrate what we can see, hear and touch; God enables us to celebrate what’s most lasting, His sacrificial love from a Spiritual Realm that’s eternal.
On the 14th, many of us were joyful with special cards, meals and perhaps even parties.  The real joy, however, flows from Love born before creation and lives the lifetime of God, forever.