February 14
"Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love." -Paul; 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT)
Valentine's Day is an awesome holiday devoted to celebrating love. Its roots go back to ancient times when people paid honor to the Roman God of Love and was celebrated even then on February 14. While its ancient meanings may have been lost in our commercialized culture, its heart still remains. It also offers a special opportunity to feast without guilt on yummy chocolates and offers us chances to say "I love you" to our family and friends with enthusiasm and zest. It also offers chances to be joyful, feast on heart shaped cookies, and find creative ways to celebrate love and life. Paul wrote that true love "will last forever." However, "love" has become a mixed-up term today with diverse meanings. Many are confused about the real nature of love or disappointed in something they thought was love. Yet real love or the agape love Paul talks about in his letter to Corinth is the greatest of all human qualities and a divine attribute of God himself. (1Jn.4:8) Love involves unconditional acceptance and loving in spite of failures and short-comings. Faith or trust is the foundation for love and hope is the trait it requires to survive.
When faith and hope are the foundations, we become free to truly love because we understand how much God loves us. But real love also involves positive actions for the good of others. That is why this day is named after Saint Valentine who lived in Rome under Emperor Claudius II, a cruel king who engaged Rome in bloody battles. In order to win, he needed to keep recruiting soldiers. Yet Claudius found men weren't willing to join the army because of loving their wives. Therefore, Claudius passed a cruel law banning marriages in Rome and said any priest who married a couple would be put to death. Lovers found a savior in the Christian priest Valentinus. At the cost of his life, he stood against the callous order and secretly married couples. When Claudius found out about this, Valentinus was brutally beaten and executed on February 14, 270 AD. For his courageous martyrdom, Valentine was made a saint who still inspires us today to sacrifice for love!
Prayer: God, Fill me with your love today and always Amen.
Meditation For The Day: Love is stronger than death.
Brief Devotions For Busy Lives: Daily Winter Renewal Paperback – November 25, 2017, by Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson (Author)
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