Every February 14, for about 1700 years, people have remembered St Valentine, a man who died because he was in love.
He discovered a unique type of love. A love so exciting, so powerful, so overwhelming as to make the romance of Romeo and Juliet look like puppy love, and the affairs of Josephine and Napoleon, Anthony and Cleopatra, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor look second rate.
From the moment he became a Christian until he was murdered, the threat of death and terrifying torture dangled over his neck every day. But nothing could stop him. He was in love. With innocent Christians suffering unspeakable horrors, dying like flies around him, he was unfazed by the question as to why a God of love would allow such things.
In the times in which he lived, multiplied thousands were tortured to death. Rather than compromise, they chose to endure indescribable agonies, because each of them was in love – with the same person. God.
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. Psalm 63:3
For Your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in Your truth. Psalm 26 :3