Valentine's Day has always been a day where you celebrate love! It could be your spouse, girlfriend or boyfriend and your kids. The local flower shops and 1-800 FLOWERS do very well financially to sell flowers and of course. most men do it last minute. At your local Dollar Tree, you will always see people looking for just the right Valentine's Day card and other stores sell candy with delicious heart shaped boxes of chocolate. There have been several proposals on Valentine's Day and, if the weather will cooperate in New York, some beautiful weddings. Hopefully not during a snowstorm. Many of you may not know but Valentine's Day was not just thought up one day and made up by men who were bored. There was a real Valentine. It was actually St. Valentine. Let's explore!
There are several myths to how Valentine's Day came about. The first myth goes back to third century Rome. A local priest absolutely despised Emperor Claudius the Second. This Priest would secretly perform wedding ceremonies for soldiers even though it was against the law. Since they were legally married, they would not have to go fight in a war. When Claudius found out about this, he had that Priest arrested and beheaded for going against his orders and laws. At the same time of this Priests arrest, the second myth is about a Catholic Bishop named Saint Valentine of Terni. He was also arrested and beheaded by Claudius for officiating wedding ceremonies which was against the law. The third myth is about a man named Valentine. He was arrested and put in jail for helping Christian prisoners in the Roman jails. This Valentine fell in love with the jailer's daughter and he wrote her messages from jail. The last one he wrote her said, "From your Valentine." Valentine's Day started out as a "Religious Holiday" and that would change years later. By the 1840, Valentine cards were being sent to loved ones because they believe Valentine's death was on February 14th! To this very day, we celebrate Valentine's Day to celebrate love for those we care about and love.
As I reflect on Valentine's Day, of course I think about those who love me very much, but I also think a lot about how much God loves me. To think that He sent His one and only son to this earth to die on the cross for my sins just blows me away. That my friend's is true love! Of course it is important to give your loved one's flowers, a Valentine's Day card and maybe even a box of chocolates (yum) 😋! They certainly need to know you love them and care about them and, in my opinion, they need to be told this every single day.
When I sit back and reflect on Valentine's Day, I am grateful for those who love me. I know there are several people out there who have lost a loved one or maybe never found that right relationship where they would feel loved by someone special. I hope you realize more than anything you have a God who loves you so much. John 3:16, the most memorized verse in the Bible tells us, "For God so loved the world, that he gave His one and only Son; that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but will have everlasting life." True love! A God who loves us! That's what it's all about!
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!!
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