The origin of Saint Valentine's Day is rather interesting, I think you'll agree. This day corresponds to the Church calendar. I don't think there's anything about the actual person of St. Valentine (of which there are three, all of whom have been martyred and canonized) that gives the day its significance. Instead, it happened to lie on the day when birds came together to find a mate. Somehow-in a way I don't understand-the name Valentine came to designate one's lover when one wrote love letters on this day. My dearest Valentine, I hope you heed my words for I love thou much.

*Some of us are currently in relationships, and perhaps for the first time in our lives we have began to think about our faith's ethical aspect. I say, "for the first time" because the fact is that for daily life we know what we ought and ought not to do as redeemed people. We either know this from the Bible (hopefully) or from watching other Christians, or from vague notions of Christian life you've picked up in our supposedly "Christian" nation. In any case the matter of ethics is commonsense, which is a far cry from the actual discipline of philosophy that concerns itself with such matters. However, things like dating seem to provoke some questions to one of sensitive faith. Dating has been seen in our post-Christian world as being a dirty thing, a diminishment of marriage as an institution, the end of merely platonic male-female relationships.

Because of this we tend to try to "sanctify" such dating relationships, which is oftentimes merely euphemizing it. We set up arbitrary boundaries and conditions that this relationship must operate within. The emphasis is on what this relationship is not to do, rather than what it should do.

I feel this may because many of us tend to see things in a dichotomy what is commonly called the "sacred and profane." An example of this is our tendency to fast media by not listening to "secular" music or read "secular books." Or perhaps we see things like praying as intrinsically more spiritual than eating dinner. I don't know why this is at all. It's really arbitrary when you think about it. The fact is that, for the Christian all existence has the sole purpose of glorifying God. Tyndale the famous English Bible translator and martyr wrote, "[If we look externally] there is difference betwixt washing of dishes and preaching the word of God; but as touching to please God, none at all." How then does this fit into our concept of dating?

I believe that, in addition to the limits of a relationship-granting that it is serious and may eventually lead to marriage-couples should talk with one another with what their relationship should do. It should be a good model for other brothers and sisters who are naïve about what a real relationship is. It should be mutually edifying, challenging the mind and the heart constantly. Each should respect the other person. The admonishments are numerous in the New Testament. Perhaps the relationship should devote itself to Bible study (but not alone in his room, of course). However, the primary motivation of this relationship is to glorify God who, by His unfathomable grace has given us each other to love, in fact giving us the power to love. Puritan Nathaniel Mather once wrote, "[God's grace] will spiritualize every action." Brethren, instead of walking fearfully in a relationship based on limitations, let us glorify God with the freedom He has given us.

I need to make a disclaimer before I finish. Had I finished at the last paragraph, many of us singles would have been out the door to try and "glorify God." Hallelujah. Praise the Lord for Jonathan. This is not so. This message was prepared expressly for those in relationships that are earnest, faithful, and pure, but are still uncertain of its status in the kingdom of Heaven. While these pronouncements of mutual devotion can only be in word alone until the day of blessed matrimony, the committed Christian couple should mature in their affections and should not do anything to retard or halt growth within the relationship. As for those who are not in the relationship, we must live our single days in faith, using this blessed opportunity to serve our Lord. We have the opportunity to devote ourselves single-mindedly to our studies, to our work in the church, to our families, and to our jobs. We also have the opportunity to bless and be blessed by other brothers and sisters that we normally wouldn't have after we become "yoked." We should be content with our status as singles and praise God, while at the same time praying the Lord, in his wisdom, will provide us with a suitable companion.

Anyway, have a good Valentines Day in the Lord.

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