Sunday, May 2, 2010

1 Corinthians 13

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails....And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.


How often do we hear this verse? I've seen it on multiple wedding invitations, heard it in multiple sermons, and used it in many cards to my husband. 1 Corinthians 13 is definitely one of the most well known chapters in the Bible that focus on love.

How often do we sit and truly look at this chapter and soak it in? You'll notice that God never tells us that love is perfect. Love cannot be perfect, but it can be patient. Patience in love is what allows us to endure the "bad times" that we vow to be there through on our wedding days.

Love certainly never fails. We fail. We are human, failure does happen. As a wife, I have failed. With Jason as my husband, he has failed. However, our love has never nor will ever, fail. We must learn to look through our failures, and look back to our love to keep our marriages alive.

It would take multiple blog posts to fully examine this excerpt from 1 Corinthians 13, but I don't feel that I would do it justice. I urge you to read it, examine it, and make it alive in your own love. It may not be a love for a husband, or a boyfriend. It may be the love for your family, or for a very best friend. God never tells us that these verses apply to romantic love, or love within a marriage. Although cherished in a marriage, all of our love to everyone needs to be this way. Even when God tells us to love our enemies. "Love is patient."

No matter who you are loving today, or any day, love will never fail.

1 comment:

Jess said...

What an awesome reminder.

Great post, friend!!