Happy Valentine’s Day!

Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord.  Philemon 1:20

Can you imagine this holiday during Bible times? It definitely would have a different impression to see a wad of intestines on a card. Scripture refers to the bowels when it talks about tenderness and compassion. It is the word used to describe the seat of emotions. Somewhere along the line the heart became associated with love. It is probably a good thing too. Think about it: Titanic’s song would become, “My bowels Will go on”, and Tony Bennett would have an entirely different song if he left his bowels in San Francisco! Elton John would sing, “Don’t go breaking mybowels!” Billy Ray would sing about his achy breaky bowels – TMI!!!!  The idioms would include: eat your bowels out, follow your bowels, die from a broken bowel, etc. And I really don’t care to have a bowels to bowels conversation with anyone, do you?

I am not saying that the heart is not used in the Bible to express emotions; it is! We are to love the Lord with all of our heart. We know the heart is essential to life and it has become the metaphorical picture for pure devotion as the center of emotion. It sure would be different if we read let not your bowels be troubled!

So Happy Heart Day!  – it sounds so much better than happy bowels day, doesn’t it?!