“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

Valentine’s day is celebrated throughout the world on February 14^th. It is a day designated for people to show their affection for another person or people by sending cards, flowers, or chocolates with messages of love. www.bbc.co.uk/newsround attributes the origination to a Roman priest: The popular belief about St Valentine is that he was a priest from Rome in the third century AD. Emperor Claudius II had banned marriage because he thought married men were bad soldiers. Valentine felt this was unfair, so he broke the rules and arranged marriages in secret. When Claudius found out, Valentine was thrown in jail and sentenced to death.” The authenticity of the story is not really known, but the Roman priest has been honored as a saint for centuries and a statue of St Valentine, stands inside Whitefriar Church in Dublin, Ireland.

Love originates with God and is a gift to all mankind; “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”1 John 4:8. While the sacrificial actions of the Roman priest St. Valentine and all those who fall in the line of martyrs is quite noble and they will receive their reward; the only shed blood that can cleanse us from our sins and give eternal life is the precious blood of Jesus! There is no greater love found than the amazing grace of God. “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”  1 John 4: 9-10. Calvary’s Cross and an empty tomb is the evidence to His love for us!

If by some chance you receive no calls, texts, flowers, or candy today with great expressions of love, know that God loves you beyond your greatest imagination! “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. He is the lover of our souls, there is absolutely nothing that you could ever need or desire in His divine will, that He will not give. We can rest and bask in the goodness of His unconditional love not just today, but throughout eternity!

Let us praise God for His amazing grace and unconditional love expressed at the cross:

At the cross, at the cross,

where I first saw the light

and the burden of my heart rolled away;

it was there by faith I received my sight

and now I am happy all the day!

Was it for crimes that I have done,

he groaned upon the tree?

Amazing pity! Grace unknown!

And love beyond degree!

Happy Valentines’ Day and rest in the assurance that God loves you!