FEAST OF SAINT VALENTINE, BISHOP AND MARTYR – 14th FEBRUARY
February 14, 2024
MONTHLY DEVOTIONAL FOR 14th FEBRUARY
February 14, 2024
14 February, 2024
For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. – 2 Corinthians 5:21
God of Righteousness and Truth, we prostrate before you in humble adoration, praise and submission, for being deemed worthy enough to be saved, even when our transgressions engulfed the entire earth, making you withdraw from us, as we made ourselves most unworthy of fellowship with our God. Yet, you had already foreseen our nature of sinfulness and had, even though you distanced yourself from us, planned to save us, knowing we were incapable of rising above the bondage of iniquity we were surrounded with.
You gave us your only Son, who, by his death and resurrection took upon himself the curse of our sins. Sin was responsible for our losing the friendship and fellowship with our God. Jesus had to take on human flesh, and as a mortal being, suffer and be crucified, to crush sin and restore us to fellowship with you, our Father. Jesus was reproached, slandered and bore the slur and censure of the weight of the sins of the whole world, so that, by his sin offering, we might attain righteousness.
Lord God, we are greatly humiliated and bow our heads in disgrace, seeing the extent of our Messiah’s manifestation of his love for mankind, serving and suffering for our sakes and his absolute obedience to you, his Father. He endured a terrible death on the Cross, to ensure that we would thereby receive eternal salvation, and that your Glory would be restored by his sacrifice. He delivered us from all bondage, redeeming and making us recipients of your free grace of salvation and eternal life, purified for justice and righteous for salvation. We declare with faith and solemn Christian fervour, our endeavor to be obedient and Christ-like, in Jesus’ Name. Amen
