Love

1 Cor. 13:13

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three: but the greatest of these is love.

 

Without love everything is reduced to nothingness. If I speak like an angel or the best of all men and have not love, I am nothing. If I prophesy possessing all wisdom and have faith enough to move mountains, and have not love, I am nothing. And finally, if I sacrifice my very life for others or give all I have away but have not love, I am nothing. What a massive thought is this! In the first three verses of I Cor. 13 Paul has taken all the things that the world might think important, and reduced them to nothing. No amount of altruism, mysticism, or wisdom is anything apart from love!

 

The love described in verses 4-7 is totally unlike anything the world has to offer or even considers noteworthy. It comes from the inside of a person who has been totally transformed and made new in Christ. My flesh could never love like these apart from the power of the Spirit in my life.

 

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant
or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

 

Just a casual reading of these traits reveals its innate difficulties. If I were to choose John [who I love very much], could my love for him be like these verses 100% of the time? What about even 100% of one day? The problem is my flesh! My flesh constantly wants its own way not the way of another, but when the Spirit is ruling my life and I am abiding in Christ, my love changes. It becomes more like the love that God in Christ revealed to me in the cross. Sadly, even with Christ in me and the indwelling Holy Spirit living within, my love is still so very lacking. How strong is my flesh! It is truly horrific to think about it.

 

In addition, love never ends. Prophecy, tongues, altruism, sacrifice, and wisdom will all pass away when the perfect comes. That is when Christ comes to take me home with Him, I will see Him as He is and I will be made as He is through His amazing love.

 

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three: but the greatest of these is love.

 

Love has impacted my life in such glorious ways. It gave me new life in Christ; It gives me forgiveness and removes my bondage to sin; It gives me a glorious hope as I wait for Christ; It gives me a Christian family and unbelievable fellowship; It gives me a motive for all that I do; It takes me out of the world's system and sets my mind and heart on things above; It gives me confident access to the Father; It gives me an eternal inheritance; It gives me everything that I need for godliness; It gives me the perfect model for life; It gives me all that I need for any situation and relationship; It is my life in Christ; It is how I delight and glorify God. Thank God for this glorious gift of love!

 

Father,

I am so needy and petty when it comes to loving others. Make my self heinous to me. Show me how ugly my sin is. Fill me with Your love that I may love others as you do. Thank You for gracing my life with Your amazing love.

In Jesus name,

Amen