Hello, this is pastor gary from first baptist church of laplata. On this date in 270AD, the priest St. Valentine was beheaded by order of Roman Emperor Claudius II for secretly performing marriages of young lovers. The marriages were carried out in secret, because the emperor had outlawed them. Why did the emperor outlaw marriage? Because he needed a large, strong army, and he believed that military recruitment was down due to men’s attachment to their wives and families. During his incarceration prior to his execution, St. Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer’s daughter who had befriended him; he signed the letter, “From your Valentine.” How did we get from a beheading to heart-shaped chocolates, greeting cards, stuffed animals, and dinner? It’s complicated. The point to remember is that St. Valentine became a sacrifice for love, and he had a good example in Jesus Who was the same; Romans 5:8 declares, “But God commendeth His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”. Love is a precious gift from God: His love for us, our love for Him, and our love for each other. God loves us, there is no question. May we love Him and those He has graciously placed in our lives. Happy Valentine’s Day!
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