Published 11/26/19
Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
"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."
Reflect
Why is this kind of love the key to real relationship? Why is it sometimes hard to live?
For a lot of people, a key moment in their Christian life comes when they realize that Christianity isn't a religion but a relationship. Instead of approaching God through rituals and precisely worded prayers, they find they can approach God like a best friend. But what if you've had bad experiences with relationships in the past?
Maybe you're the person who woke up one morning to find the other side of the bed empty. The one who told you "till death do us part" left without a backwards glance. If that's you, remember that God is faithful and "he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself" (2 Timothy 2:13, NLT).
What does that mean "he cannot deny himself"? It means that God is an honorable God. He won't promise one thing and do another. In contrast to all the broken promises that fill our lives, the promises of God will always stand. And He has promised to always love you and always be there for you.
Maybe you're someone who still has the scars or bruises of a parent's "love". You need to know that God means something very different when He says He loves you. "Love is patient," God will never force you into a decision. "Love is kind," God wants what is best for you. "Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged." You are always welcome in God's family. Your past doesn't matter, neither do the things you did or did not do. If you've been putting off a decision to follow God or to at least look into a relationship with Him, it's not too late.
"It [Love] is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out." Whatever may have happened in the past is not your fault. And anyone who persists in doing evil will be brought to justice.
Pray
Lord Jesus, thank You for showing me what true love is. Help me to live it. Amen.