God's Valentine

God¡¯s Valentine

1 Cor 13:1-13

1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,

10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.

12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Valentine¡¯s Day! No one knows for sure where or how it originated, but we do know who is responeible for keeping it before the public¡¯s eyes¡ªthe greeting card and candy companies!

St. Valentine is the designation for several saints. The most prominent are 2 martyrs whose feats are celebrated on this date. One was a priest and the other a bishop. We don¡¯t know much about them, but we do know that they died on the same day.

The custom of sending ¡°valentines¡± or ¡°love tokens¡± usually anonymous, probably had only an accidental connection with St. Valentine. It really owes its origin to a belief held in medieval Europe. It was believed that at the start of the second fortnight of the second month that the birds began to mate. The poets picked up on this, blending mating with love and hence, valentines!

In a sense, every time we meet for worship we celebrate love¨CGod¡¯s love. He sent us a Valentine¨CHis Word!

Then He sent us His Son, Jesus, who is love personified¡ªa ¡°living valentine.¡±

When Thomas Edison was 38 years old, his wife died, leaving him a very lonely man. Six months after her death, Edison began looking for a new mate. He would leave no stone unterned in a systematic search reflecting his scientific nature. Although he liked to be portrayed in the media as a genius who worked in solitude, Edison had quietly assembled a fine research team to search for a new wife. He hated social events, but dinner parties in the home of friends in Boston helped him meet many candidates at one time. He was proud of this efficient approach. But, rather than making a calm, rational choice, he fell head over heels for an 18-year-old young lady from Ohio. She was everything he wasn¡¯t¨Creligious, cultured, and beautiful¨Cplus young enough to be his daughter. He threw his normal caution to the wind and acted like a lovesick fool until Mina Miller would agree to marriage. An iron-willed, self disciplined, workaholic found himself bitten by the love bug. He was unable to concentrate in his research lab and whiled away weeks writing silly notes to an 18-year old. Finally, Miss Miller agreed to marry him and soon he settled back into his inventive routine.

Six Stages of a Married Cold

First year: ¡°Sugar Dumplin, I¡¯m really worried about my baby girl. You¡¯ve got a bad sniffle and there¡¯s no telling about these things with all thw stuff that¡¯s going around. I¡¯m putting you in the hospital this afternoon for a general checkup and a good rest. I know the foods¡¯ lousy, but I¡¯ll be bringing your meals in.¡±

Second Year: ¡°Listen Darling, I don¡¯t like the sound of that cough and I¡¯ve called Doc Miller to rush over here. Now you go to bed like a good girl, just for Popps.¡±

Third Year: ¡°Maybe you better lie down, honey. Nothing like a little rest when you feel lousy. I¡¯ll bring you something. Have we got any canned soup?¡±

Fourth Year: ¡°Now look, dear, be sensible. After you¡¯ve fed the kids and got the dishes done and the floor waxed, why don¡¯t you lie down?¡±