Daily Devotional For Friday, February 14, 2025
Today is Fabulous Friday and love is in the air. Why? It’s Valentine’s Day. Look at 1 John 4:8, “The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (NASB). When it comes to Valentine’s Day, we often think it is more for couples whether single or married. Most people, even most Christians, do not connect it to how much God loves us nor how much we love God on Valentine’s Day. For singles, Valentine’s Day can be a kind of bittersweet reminder they are alone and not married. The good news is: God never leaves anyone alone to feel they are not loved by Him.
As 1 John 4:8 tells us, God is not fickle like we are. His love is not an emotion that is controlled by His moods or temperament. God does not possess love; He is love. That is a huge difference. And if it were not for God, we would have no concept nor definition of love at all. And if you are not sure how God defines love, let me show it to you in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a:
“Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, (5) does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, (6) does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; (7) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (8) Love never fails . . .” (NASB).
One of the points that the Apostle Paul is making in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a is: God is all of these descriptions of love. God is patient and kind. He keeps no record of wrongs. He always protects, always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres. God’s love is a perfect love that no one on earth could ever emulate. I know this passage is typically read at weddings, but it is a good reminder for today as well – Valentine’s Day.
Former atheist and Christian apologist C.S. Lewis wrote this in his publication called Perelandra: “He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man made, He would have done no less.” Wow! What love God has for us. God loves you so much. If you were the only one on earth He still would have sent His Son for you.
Children love Valentines’ Day. Their parents buy Valentine’s Cards and have their children take them to school to give out to their classmates. Parents often buy Valentine's cards, balloons, chocolates, and etc for their children’s teacher. Restaurants fill up with reservations and if you wait too late, cards are slim to pick from to buy. But do you know the origins of this favorite holiday?
It all started in the Roman Empire, where Romans celebrated a Feast called Lupercalia that was celebrated between February 13-15. The men sacrificed a goat and a dog, then whipped women with the hides of the animals they had just slain. Roman men would get drunk during this Festival of Lupercalia and engage in drunken orgies. Young women would line up for the men to hit them, Lenski said. They believed this would make them fertile. This brutal festival included young men drawing a name from a jar of a young woman. They would be paired up for the rest of the festival. If they liked the matching, they were considered married. As with most things over time, other factors affect them and even their name.
The Festival of Lupercalia got a name change in the 3rd century when Emperor Claudius executed two men on Feb. 14 who both had the same name Valentine. Years later their martyrdom was honored by the Roman Catholic Church with the celebration of St. Valentine's Day, named after them and thus the Festival of Lupercalia got a new name. So, the Roman Catholic Church cleaned up this Roman holiday – got rid of the drunken orgies and made it all about love. As the years went by, then authors such as Chaucer and Shakespeare romanticized it in their writings.
As the years went on, the holiday grew sweeter. Chaucer and Shakespeare romanticized it in their work, and it gained popularity throughout Britain and the rest of Europe. Handmade paper cards became the tokens du jour in the Middle Ages. Eventually, the tradition made its way to the New World. The Industrial Revolution ushered in factory-made cards in the 19th century. And in 1913, Hallmark Cards of Kansas City, Mo., began mass-producing Valentines. February has not been the same since. Now you know.”
Well, as with most things in this country, with love in the air, we took the creativeness of expressing it through a holiday and found a way to profit and commercialize it. With love in the air, today, focus not only on your spouse or children or others, but focus on God’s love for you and your love for Him. No questions today. Yeah!
Scripture To Meditate On: 1 John 4:16, “We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (NASB).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Jesus, help me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind and strength as You love me. Thank You that Your love is unconditional, perfect, pure and eternal. Thank You that there is nothing I can ever do to make You love me more than You already do nor cause You to love me any less. Lord, help me to love others as You do. Help me today to remember that You are the real Valentine of this day. I love You Jesus. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
I love you Southside!--Pastor Kelly