“LOVE NEVER FAILS!”

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (CEV)
⁴  Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or
⁵  rude. Love isn’t selfish or quick tempered. It doesn’t keep a record of wrongs that others do.
⁶  Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil.
⁷  Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting.
⁸  Love never fails! 

In the great Love Chapter in 1 Corinthians 13, the Apostle Paul’s main point of the whole chapter is that of the three qualities of faith, hope, and love, that LOVE is the greatest. (13:13)
Tongues is the first gift mentioned probably because the Corinthians had used it and emphasized it without love. But love is the glue that holds life together. It would make our world a different place if everyone legitimately practiced it.

With Valentine’s Day coming, I wonder if people ever think that the maturing love between a husband and wife, or between a boyfriend and girlfriend finds its’ source in God, because God IS Love. ( 1 John 4:8) While there may be different kinds of love, they all find their basis in the Author of it, God. That’s why everyone needs God in their life, that is those who are wanting to live and function with an everyday life of love. In John 13:34,35, Jesus makes love the badge of discipleship….the distinguishing mark of a true disciple. Jesus said it was a “new command” (taking its point of departure from the old Mosaic commands) to love the Lord with all one’s powers and to love one’s neighbor as oneself. But Jesus’ love and teachings deepen and transform these commands. Jesus even taught love for one’s enemies. (Mt. 5:43-48) The command to love one’s neighbor was not new; the newness was found in loving one another as Jesus loved His disciples. In the light of Jesus’ soon-coming death, “just as” implies a love that is even willing to lay down one’s life for another (John 15:13). When you add to what’s been already said, the facets of love that are found in the fruits of the Spirit, it really rounds out the impact of love in building all human relationships. In Galatians 5:22,23 Paul communicates to the Galatians, in contrasting the fruit of the Spirit with the fruit of the flesh, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Can we imagine what our world would be like if people wouldn’t distort the meaning of love, but understand how it all fits together biblically, then simply lives it? We are really talking about heaven, aren’t we?  But the neat thing is the Body of Christ, here on earth, the Church is called to bring heaven down to earth as we live like Jesus did,  and do what we can to see His Kingdom come, His will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Let’s make 2020 a year of vision and clarity as we live in love and demonstrate it in our thoughts, our words, our attitudes, and actions. “Thank you, Lord in making this to be a reality!”