Well, it's Valentine's Day. Valentine’s Day occurs every February 14. Across the world, candy, flowers and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. Did you get a gift and some roses for your sweetheart?
I don’t celebrate Valentine’s day; I never did – not even in my courtship days. I think it’s a waste of money. My wife is agreeable to it. She thinks it’s a waste of money. She knows that I love her every day and not just one day.
Now, who is this mysterious saint called Valentine and where did this tradition come from?
There are a few stories behind it. We can’t know for sure which is the real one. One story has it that there was this man called Valentine who was cast into prison by emperor Claudius II Gothicus after he refused to worship the Roman gods. Before his execution (270 A.D.), he signed a letter that said "from your Valentine" to a woman he allegedly healed from blindness.
Another story has it that there was this priest named St. Valentine of Terni. Emperor Claudius II had banned marriage because he thought unmarried men made better soldiers. Valentine felt this was unfair, so he broke the rules and performed marriages for young couples in secret. When Claudius found out, Valentine was thrown in jail and sentenced to death.
Some believed the two Valentines were the same person. And the story continues that in jail, he fell in love with the jailer's daughter and when he was taken to be killed on 14 February, he sent her a love letter signed "from your Valentine".
Anyway, that’s not important. And, I’m here to tell you why I don’t celebrate Valentine’s day. I said this openly before: “When you are happily married, every day is Valentine’s Day.”
Oh yes, sometimes we argue and get mad with each other. But that doesn’t mean we’re in an unhappy marriage. It is a sign that we are a normal couple because couples fight and that’s okay. Arguments are followed by reconciliation that generally strengthens the bond. Just make sure that the argument does not go off the rails: “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath” (Ephesians 4:26). Quickly come back together and resolve the conflict.
Love is a commitment and the commitment is to love one another. True love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8). It means one does not stop loving because of conflicts. The flame of true love does not die off like a candle flame.
One of the greatest love stories in the Bible is the love between Isaac and Rebekah. Now, these two young fellows did not meet and start a courtship. They didn’t know each other before the wedding. There was no engagement ring, no premarital counselling, and no wedding ceremony. Isaac simply took Rebekah into his tent and married her. And, as we know, they lived happily ever after!
What was the secret of their successful marriage? It is found in the line: "So she became his wife and he loved her" (Genesis 24:67). It did not read: "Isaac loved Rebekah, then she became his wife."
Today, you can make your marriage last forever by simply loving your wife/husband. “Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth” (Proverbs 5:18). Every day is Valentine’s day when you are happily married. Celebrate your love every day and not just today.
