God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. Ephesians 1:5 (New Living Translation)
The Emperor Claudius had a problem. He needed more men for his army, but married men were reluctant to leave their wives to fight for Rome. Claudius came up with a solution; Priests were ordered to no longer perform weddings for Roman soldiers. Saint Valentine refused to stop weddings or to deny Christ, as the Emperor demanded. On February 14, 270 A.D., A Homicide took place in Rome. Valentine was first beaten to death, and then decapitated.
The pagan festival of Lupercalia was held historically during February. At this festival, the names of young maidens were put into a box to be drawn by men. The girl whose name was drawn would then be the man’s maiden for a year, until the next Lupercalia. The following year, some girls would put their names back in to be drawn, and some would marry the man who had picked them as his valentine. The early church fathers later substituted names of saints for names of maidens. Thus, men drew their “patron saint” for the year, instead of their girlfriend. Because the Roman Church had declared Valentine to be a saint, and he had died in February, the yearly drawing thus came to be known as “choosing your Valentine” , and renamed “Saint Valentines Day”, . This later evolved into the modern tradition of asking someone to be your “Valentine”.
The Apostle Paul tells the church in Ephesus that Jesus has drawn their name. The Messiah has set aside a place for you in Heaven with Him and the Father. He has paid the terrible cost in blood so you can be His valentine. Jesus asks, “Will you be my valentine”? Fall to your knees and proclaim to the King of Kings “Good Shepherd, I will be your valentine”!
Copyright 2007 Timothy E. Davis