Roses are red,
Violets are blue.
Hey, married couples…
This one’s for you!
As Valentine’s day quickly approaches (this is your “heads up,” two-day notice) florists, chocolatiers, jewelers and every other retailer across the country wants your attention and your business to commemorate the occasion. What began as a pagan celebration in ancient Rome has evolved into modern day sentiments of love.
Children will cut out paper hearts for their parents…parents will give their kids a sweet treat…school mates will exchange silly Valentine notes and dating couples will find romance. But what about married couples? You know…the ones that promised to love and honor til death do us part. The ones that brush their teeth together and pay the bills and make meals and clean toilets. The ones that see one another at their best but also at their most vulnerable and at their worst. The ones who walk through the joys and challenges and sorrows of life with a constant partner at their side. A partner who loves, encourages, helps, irritates and sometimes downright exasperates them. What do they do with Valentine’s Day?
Let me tell you about the first Valentine’s Day I had while dating my husband. We had been in a long-distance relationship for just over six months. He had driven the hour-and-a-half separation between us to spend the evening and take me to dinner. We had a lovely time together and found a few quiet moments to talk before he would leave for home. The conversation grew serious and I told him there was something I wanted to share. Apparently, he misinterpreted the tone of my statement to mean I was about to break up with him! You can imagine his complete astonishment when he heard me say—for the very first time— “I love you.”
This month will mark the 40th February in our marriage. We have celebrated Valentines’s Day in countless ways through the years. There have been flowers and cards, restaurants and chocolates. There have been notes left on bathroom mirrors and hearts tucked under pillows. There have even been occasional pieces of jewelry. It’s never been grandiose or extravagant. But it’s always conveyed one simple, vital message—“I love you.”
Married couples, we live in a culture that is riddled with temptations and influences that have de-valued marriage and threatened its stability. Whether you are young or old—whatever season you’re going through right now—your marriage is a gift from God. He wants your relationship to be whole and strong, growing, thriving and daily forged in love. He wants your love to be a commitment as well as the feelings you experience. Your marriage is a life-long journey between two imperfect people. But, with God at the helm, there is protection, strength, guidance and a never-ending storehouse of love for the two of you.
Valentine’s Day presents a unique opportunity for married couples. It’s a day to pause and think about your spouse. Remember the sparks that flamed your relationship. Think about the embers that continue to glow warmly between you. Take time to thank God for this tremendous gift. And no matter how you choose to spend the day—with or without the traditional red and white trappings—give your spouse the gift that matters most—the gift they deserve to receive every day for as long as you live…
Give them your love.
“We love each other because He first loved us.” - 1 John 4:19 NLT