2-14-99 God's Valentine. II Pet. 1

by Ronald E. George Jr.

"Be My Valentine." This is a phrase that conjures up a lot of different images associated with the celebration of Valentine's Day. Cards with hearts and little poems on them. Candy and flowers given to someone you love. And images of cupids flying around shooting their arrows of love into unsuspecting youths. Young and old alike expressing their affection for their sweethearts. February 14th for many means cards, candy, flowers, and cupids.

Our Mothers and Fathers in the Christian Faith would be surprised at what has become of Valentine's Day. What we call Valentine's Day was at one time the Feast of St. Valentine. It was a religious holiday. They would be especially shocked at the use of cupid since he was a character from pagan mythology. For Christians in the past this holiday it was a day to remember and celebrate the life and death of a Christian martyr.

According to church tradition St. Valentine was a priest near Rome in about the year 270 A.D. At that time the Roman Emperor was imprisoning Christians for not worshipping the Roman gods. During this persecution Valentine was arrested. Some say he was arrested because he was performing Christian marriages, but others say it was for helping Christians escape prison.

During the trial they asked Valentine what he thought of the Roman gods Jupiter and Mercury. Of course Valentine said they were false gods and that the God that Jesus called Father was the only true God. So the Romans threw him in prison for insulting the gods.

While in prison Valentine continued to minister. He witnessed to the guards. One of the guards was a good man who had adopted a blind girl. He asked Valentine if his God could help his daughter. Valentine prayed and the girl was given her sight. The guard and his whole family, 46 people, believed in Jesus and were baptized. Because these people had come to know Jesus, Valentine praised God right there in his prison cell. When the emperor heard about this he was furious that Valentine was still making converts even in prison, so he had Valentine beheaded.

Valentine knew that he might get caught in his Christian activities. He knew that if he told the court the truth about the Roman gods that he would be thrown in prison. And he knew that if he continued to witness to Christ in the prison he would make his captors angry. But he continued, because he loved the Lord and his fellow humans. He was willing to risk his life to free the prisoners and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to those who needed to hear it.

The Bible Says: "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends."(John 15:13) God showed us this love by coming in Christ to die for our sins. And St. Valentine demonstrated this love when he died for his friends. This is the kind of love that Valentine's Day is really about.

Scripture Text: 2Pet 1:16 (KJS) For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. 19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake [as they were] moved by the Holy Ghost.

Have you Seen God's Valentine?

1. God's Love can be Seen in Creation. Not a cunningly devised fable, as with evolution or other man made inventions of creation, but the fact that God created the heavens and the earth and all that are therein. He made Adam and Eve in his image and placed them in the garden and walked with them and talked with them. We may not feel that we are very lovely or lovable, but the Lord of creation has created you in his image. He made you to be you. God doesn't do trash. You are the special creation of an all wise loving heavenly Father. To understand the value of you is to know the master creator.
2. God's Love can be seen in Christ. The best valentine gift is the gift of yourself given to the one who is loved. God gave of himself in his son. He declared his love of his Son on the mount of transfiguration. "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. If God looked at us would he be able to describe as his beloved child in whom I am well pleased? If we have come to God through the one who said I am the way the truth and the life, and no one can come to the father but through me then he does say that we are his beloved child in whom I am well pleased.

   "This is divine love: Jesus loved not only His friends but also His enemies--the God-hating, Christ-murdering world.

   Jesus said in John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." That is as high as human love can go, to die for your friends and your own loved ones. I am willing to die for my wife or my children, but to be willing to give my son to die that my worst enemy might live would require divine love.

   The Bible states, "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life" (Rom. 5:8-10).

   Wonder of wonders! While we were His enemies and thirsting for the blood of His sinless Son, God loved us so much that He gave His Son, whom He loved above all else, to die on the cross that we might be saved. We cannot understand it, but thank God we can believe it. And when we do, we find the peace that nothing else can bring." --M. R. De Haan

   O the love that drew salvation's plan!
   O the grace that brought it down to man!
   O the mighty gulf that God did span
   At Calvary! --Newell

   It will take all eternity
   to measure the love of God.

   by Our Daily Bread April 25, 1996

3. God's Love can be seen in his Covenant. The old and the new covenant which we call the old and the new testaments. His word was given to help us to remember the God of Love that created us and comes to us to live with us and be with us. The Scripture is not of a few well educated individuals with a private interpretation, but the Word of God has been given to all in this day and this time; so that we might come to know, to love, and to experience God. This God of Love has made every provision for us to have him and for him to have us who believe, receive, and choose to follow him, accept him, and love him.
4. God 's Love can be seen in his Converts. Peter, James, and John are the first generation of eyewitnesses who have seen and testify of the God that loves them. These converts spread the Word and now it is passed on to us who have been converted by him to give this God of love to the world. Jesus is the only begotten, beloved son of the Father. But he now has many children who have be born again into his family. These converted valentines are God's living letters of love to the world. I have seen God's love in you and in many like you who have continued to give me the unconditional love of God.

How can we "demolish" those things that once blew us away? With Christ living out His very life through ours, that's how. By his power we can give ourselves away again and again and again. And we won't fear the outcome. We won't even feel slighted when we don't get the same treatment in return. Servants, remember, don't "keep score." Dale Galloway tells a story in "Dream a New Dream" that beautifully illustrates this point.

Little Chad was a shy, quiet young fella. One day he came home and told his mother, he'd like to make a valentine for everyone in his class. Her heart sank. She thought, "I wish he wouldn't do that!" because she had watched the children when they walked home from school. Her Chad was always behind them. They laughed and hung on to each other and talked to each other. But Chad was never included. Nevertheless, she decided she would go along with her son. So she purchased the paper and glue and crayons. For three whole weeks, night after night, Chad painstakingly made thirty-five valentines.

Valentine's Day dawned, and Chad was beside himself with excitement! He carefully stacked them up, put them in a bag, and bolted out the door. His mom decided to bake him his favorite cookies and serve them up warm and nice with a cool glass of milk when he came home from school. She just knew he would be disappointed -- maybe that would ease the pain a little. It hurt her to think that he wouldn't get many valentines -- maybe none at all.

That afternoon she had the cookies and milk on the table. When she heard the children outside she looked out the window. Sure enough here they came, laughing and having the best time. And, as always, there was Chad in the rear. He walked a little faster than usual. She fully expected him to burst into tears as soon as he got inside. His arms were empty, she noticed, and when the door opened she choked back the tears.

"Mommy has some warm cookies and milk for you."

But he hardly heard her words. He just marched right on by, his face aglow, and all he could say was: "Not a one -- not a one."

Her heart sank.

And then he added, "I didn't forget a one, not a single one!"

So it is when God is in control of the servant's mind. We realize as never before that life's greatest joy is to give His love away -- a thought that brings to mind the saying:

It isn't a song until it's sung.

It isn't a bell until it's rung.

It isn't love until it's given away!

Receive God's Valentine.

Give God's Valentine to others.