Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
—1 Corinthians 13:6-7 (KJV)
Life as a follower of Jesus is always about love - loving God and loving others (Matthew 22:36-40), doing the things Paul lists here - not delighting in evil, rejoicing with the truth, protecting, trusting, hoping, and persevering always! Living this always loving way in a fallen world full of self-centered people is a very tough and tall order and sometimes very tough work. Only God is always. But then Christians are fueled to this always kind of love through the Holy Spirit. Paul tells us that "The love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Romans 5:5). No wonder this love, true love, Christian love, loving like Jesus is always love - it is God's love, demonstrated by Jesus' sacrifice, and now empowered through us by the Holy Spirit to be delivered to others by grace.
Sweet and Glorious God on high, I humble myself before you, recognizing your boundless power to love always. I also recognize the incredible need for this always kind of love in the lives of those around me as I try to love that way with my limited capacity to love in my own strength. So, please pour your Holy Spirit into my heart and fill me with the power to love as you do: always. In Jesus' sweet name, I pray. Amen.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
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—1 Corinthians 13:6-7 (KJV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...
Life as a follower of Jesus is always about love - loving God and loving others (Matthew 22:36-40), doing the things Paul lists here - not delighting in evil, rejoicing with the truth, protecting, trusting, hoping, and persevering always! Living this always loving way in a fallen world full of self-centered people is a very tough and tall order and sometimes very tough work. Only God is always. But then Christians are fueled to this always kind of love through the Holy Spirit. Paul tells us that "The love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Romans 5:5). No wonder this love, true love, Christian love, loving like Jesus is always love - it is God's love, demonstrated by Jesus' sacrifice, and now empowered through us by the Holy Spirit to be delivered to others by grace.
My Prayer...
Sweet and Glorious God on high, I humble myself before you, recognizing your boundless power to love always. I also recognize the incredible need for this always kind of love in the lives of those around me as I try to love that way with my limited capacity to love in my own strength. So, please pour your Holy Spirit into my heart and fill me with the power to love as you do: always. In Jesus' sweet name, I pray. Amen.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Continue reading...
