Listen:
“Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (1 Corinthians 13:6-7)
Reflect:
“What the world needs now is love sweet love!
It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
no not just for some, but for everyone…” ( Burt Bacharach/Hal David)
“They’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love, and they’ll know we are Christians by our love” (Fr. Peter Scholtes).
“Now would you die for the one you love? Hold me in your arms tonight…” (Mark Taylor / Paul Michael Barry / Enrique Iglesias / Chema Garcia)
People have given up their rights to the throne for love. Many have given up their lives.
Whether religious or secular, the call has been to love. There are 100’s of lists of top 10, top 30 and top 100 love songs. They come in every genre of music. Personally I think the lyrics “Now would you die for the one you love?” comes the closest to the unconditional love we seek. Our greatest human need has been to be loved.
I used to lay on my bed and listen to song after song after song longing for love. What is it about love that we desire so strongly? It is great (most of the time) to have a life partner, but what is it really that we long for?
I cannot speak for everyone but I speculate that we long to be known, to be accepted, to be affirmed . We want a love that will climb the highest mountain and swim the deepest sea for us. We desire the kind of love that does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth. We want love that always protects, always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres.
The hard question is, do I give this kind of love to others? Am I able to love like 1 Corinthians 13? For me, the answer is a loud NO! Only by God’s grace, strength, mercy, and forgiveness can I show complete selflessness in loving others. Even with that, I fall short and do not have much hope that I will achieve it in this lifetime.
I am so very thankful for the way Jesus loves me and sets the standard for me as I seek loving others as He did, and as He continues to do.
His willingness to make himself nothing, be made in human likeness, and become obedient to death, even death on a cross…for US, because He loves us, is our example…WOW! (from Philippians 2)
How then shall we live? Do others know we are Christians by our love?
Prayer of Response:
Dear Lord thank you for your deep deep love for me. A love so big my mind is too finite to understand. I am able to love others better, the more convinced I am that you really love me. As I rest in your love help me also to love others in a way that draws them to your infinite love. May my testimony reflect Your light and Your goodness. Amen.
Questions to Ponder:
- Do you know you are loved unconditionally? How might knowing you are loved free you up to love others?
- Is there someone in your life that is difficult to love? Reflect on ways you may be able to show them 1 Corinthians 13 kind of love.
- If or when you doubt His love, what are some ways you are able to remind yourself of His love?
—Submitted by Stephanie Edsall
Stephanie and her husband Mike currently live in Beverly Massachusetts, and enjoy spending time with their grandchildren. They work for the Navigators, traveling to support and resource ministries in Central Europe. Stephanie is on the Global Leadership Team of Lifesprings International and serves on the prayer team and PACT (Peace Amidst Conflict Training team) She enjoys gardening, cooking, reading, hiking, biking, and pretty much any other activity that involves being outdoors.