Glimpses of Truth
Who Loved Who First? . . .
It’s no surprise to you, but Sunday is that special day. “Would you be mine?” My Valentine, that is.
Tradition tells us that because of a man called St. Valentine, people throughout the world have a yearly opportunity to express their love to those dear to them. How did this come about? The stories may differ, but according to one legend, St. Valentine was a pagan priest serving Emperor Claudius II in Rome. Though he was devoted to his pagan idolatry, he was horrified at the acts committed against the Christians. It is said that secretly he began to help them. When he was discovered, he was sent to prison, where he became a Christian. There he suffered martyrdom by being beaten to death on February 14th in AD 270.
Tradition suggests that while he was in prison, he often thought of his family and friends. He wanted to assure them of his love, so he would find various ways of sending them such messages as, “I love you” and “Remember your Valentine.” As the years passed, February 14th became a holiday set aside to honor this man. Eventually the observance of this day took the form of romantic festivals. Young men would choose young ladies as their valentines in a sort of mock engagement. They would say, as they made their selection, “Be my Valentine.” Finally the practice arose of giving valentines to express one’s love to another.
In most cases, this custom is little more than a meaningless formality. However, it is very important that we communicate our love to others often, not just once a year.
So, how about it? Let’s tell our loved ones often that we love them and back up our declarations with action. Show them that we mean what we say.
Now, in a spiritual realm, isn’t this true in a far more wonderful way? In Jeremiah 31:3, our Heavenly Father has said, “I have loved thee with an everlasting love,” then He went on to prove it by saying, “Therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”
How did God show His love and draw us to Himself? How much did He love us? “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.” John 3:16. “Herein is love, not that we love God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” I John 4:10. “God commendeth His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.
God has not only expressed His love to us in words, but has demonstrated that love in the gift of His Son. We really don’t need an annual Valentine’s Day to receive a message of His love, for the entire word of God is His communication of love to us. Have you heard His message and received His gift of love? Have you responded to the invitation, “Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life”? John 3:16. How often do we express our love to Him Who “first loved us”?
