Triumphant Love
'If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. '
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 ESV
Without love, there is nothing that amounts to any value. You may be the most spiritually gifted, talented, and amazing person in the entire world. Yet, without love, it is all worthless.
If you do not have love, there is no gain (v.3).
Why? Because at the foundation of it all, God is love.
'Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. '
1 John 4:8-9 ESV
Without God, it is impossible for us to love to the fullest. God makes it possible for us to love one another in a way that is pure, sacrificial, and holy. This should bring us tremendous peace and comfort, because the God we serve is Love Himself!
In the same passage of 1 Corinthians 13, Paul details the attributes of this love:
' 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. '
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV
We see perfect, holy love demonstrated in the character of God, and that same love is bestowed on us by sending His only Son to give us the gift of eternal life.
As children of God, we are given the privilege of experiencing this gift. This is the greatest gift that anyone could ever receive in an entire lifetime, and an eternity to come.
Hallelujah!
Lord, we thank you for Your amazing, perfect love that you reveal to us each day that goes by. Every day we are reminded of Your eternal love for us by the sacrifice of Your Son that gave us the free gift of eternal life. Allow us to have hearts shifted to a posture of worship and thankfulness for this amazing love and hope that is placed in us by You. In Jesus name,
Amen