Be His Valentine by Pam Ford Davis {Free to Share}
Be His Valentine
Introduction:
My Valentine’s Day memories take me back to school days.
In elementary school our teachers decorated big cardboard boxes with red paper and construction paper hearts.
Each year, our teacher had us each bring a named valentine for all classmates and place them in the boxes.
When Valentine’s Day rolled around, we had parties with delicious refreshments.
Someone at the party was assigned the task of handing out each valentine which had been sealed in an envelope.
With anticipation, I opened one-by-one. My name was on front.
Would some boy ask me to be his Valentine?
My early teens brought a big surprise.
I had a secret admirer.
A boy put a Valentine’s heart shaped box of chocolates in my school locker.
I’m all grown up now.
Norm, my husband of 54 years has given me candy and beautiful greeting cards.
He has escorted me to countless church sweetheart banquets.
One year, he gave me the treasure of God’s word, an ‘Amplified Bible.’
I.) Background on Valentine’s Day
Have you ever given much thought to how February 14th became a holiday?
A)There was a martyred 3rd Century Roman Priest or Bishop who served in ministry to persecuted churches. This priest was buried in a cemetery on February 14th. The Feast of Saint Valentine has been observed since the year 496.
Confusion steps in. There were two men known by the name Saint Valentine.
[Above information: Wiki]
More background on the red letter (and hearts) day…
B) It has roots as a pagan fertility day.
Love became the present day theme back in 5th Century England and France.
They believed that the bird mating season began on February 14th
[Above information: Good Housekeeping}
II.) Now and Forever Love is the Theme
Love is the Theme by Albert C. Fisher (1896-1946)/ Public Domain
1 Of the themes that men have known,
One supremely stands alone;
Through the ages it has shown,
‘Tis His wonderful, wonderful love.
Chorus:
Love is the theme, love is supreme;
Sweeter it grows, glory bestows;
Bright as the sun ever it glows!
Love is the theme, eternal theme!
2 Let the bells of heaven ring,
Let the saints their tribute bring,
Let the world true praises sing
For His wonderful, wonderful love.
[Chorus]
3 Since the Lord my soul unbound,
I am telling all around,
Pardon, peace and joy are found
In His wonderful, wonderful love.
[Chorus]
4 As of old when blind and lame
To the blessed Master came,
Sinners, call ye on His name,
Trust His wonderful, wonderful love.
[Chorus]
God wrote the theme.
God is LOVE.
“We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him (1 John 4:16 NASB).”
God loves us so much…
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him. The one who believes in Him is not judged; the one who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God (John 3:16-18 NASB).”
His Love is beyond description; it defies logic.
“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous person; though perhaps for the good person someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6-8 NASB).”
He chose you; He picked you out as His Valentine!
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He favored us in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:3-6 NASB).”
God’s theme of Love is unconditional.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;not a result of works, so that no one may boast (Ephesians 2:8-9 NASB).”
III). Reciprocal Love
In return; we give our love, our hearts to God.
“But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him: ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment (Matthew 22:34-38 NASB).”
Be His Valentine.
Just a reminder. God wants you to have other Valentines, too.
“The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:39-40 NASB).”
Closing Prayer
Invitation
Pam Ford Davis 