Today being Valentine's Day, my thoughts naturally turn to the subject of love. Apparently there were 14 St Valentines, all of whom were martyred for their faith. The link with the modern remembrance of Valentine's Day seems to be somewhat unclear, to say the least, and is shrouded in traditions which cannot really be substantiated. However, the fact the St Valentine (whichever one is 'THE' one!) died for his faith in Christ is certainly not without significance. After all, Jesus said that the greatest love one person can have for another is to be willing to lay down his/her life for them (John's gospel, chapter 15 verse 13).I guess that when most people think about love, they think about romantic love, the love a person has when they 'fall in love'. When I interview couple who wish to be married in church, and I ask them why they want to get married, they often talk about the love which they have for each other. The feeling of being in love can be overwhelming; when you are in love, you long to be with the one you love. What some couples fail to realise, however, is the fact that this intense feeling of love does not last, and it alone cannot sustain a lifelong partnership between husband and wife.
That's not to say, of course, that love itself doesn't last, it's just that it changes. I don't feel in love with Sue in exactly the same way as I did in our courting days. But I am sure that the love I have for her today is of a far deeper quality and strength than it was in our early married lives - I've got to love her for putting up with me all these years! (I admit that I still get things wrong, and don't always act in a loving way, but I haven't yet perfected the role of being a husband!)
We can express love in many different ways, but most important of all is that we express love through our actions. True love is practical, and shows itself in the way in which we live our lives and respond to the people around us. Love can be hard, and it runs the risk of being rejected and hurt. But love truly is what makes the world go around. If we know God's love in our hearts and lives, then he expects us to let that love flow out to others. I don't think that there has ever been a better description of true (Godly) love than we find in St Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth. It still stands as a great challenge to us all:
'Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails ... And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.'
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