The Greatest of These Is Love

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The Greatest of These Is Love

The Bible mentions all sorts  of gifts  God gives His children  to use  in their every day lives.     There are gifts  of knowing how to serve others,  being hospitable,  knowing how to give,  being able  to lead others,  having mercy  on those in need,  being kind,  bringing peace,  having words  of knowledge,  healing,  miracles,  prophecy,  teaching,  faith,  hope,  and love  —  plus many others.

Out of all the gifts  we might receive  from God  to use  in our every day lives,  the greatest of all  is love.     After writing  about a number of gifts,  Paul concludes  in 1 Corinthians 13:13,

But now abide  faith,  hope,  love,  these three;  but the greatest of these  is love.

We need  to know why  love is the greatest gift  we can have  and use.     We especially need to know  because the people  of today  are really messed up  in their thoughts  about love.     We see their twisted thoughts  and feelings  about love on TV,  in movies,  printed media,  the Internet  —  literally all over the place.

Because what the world calls “love”  is so ugly  and twisted,  we need to meditate  on each detail  in Paul’s definition  of love  in 1 Corinthians 13:1-10,

If  I speak  with the tongues  of men  and of angels,  but do not have love,  I have become a noisy gong  or a clanging cymbal.

And if  I have the gift  of prophecy,  and know all mysteries  and all knowledge;  and if  I have all faith,  so as to remove mountains,  but do not have love,  I am nothing.

And if  I give all my possessions  to feed the poor,  and if  I deliver my body  to be burned,  but do not have love,  it profits me nothing.

Love is patient,  love is kind,  and is not jealous;  love does not brag  and is not arrogant,  does not act unbecomingly;  it does not seek its own,  is not provoked,  does not take into account  a wrong suffered,  does not rejoice  in unrighteousness,  but rejoices  with the truth;  bears all things,  believes all things,  hopes all things,  endures all things.

Love never fails;  but if there are gifts  of prophecy,  they will be done away;  if there are tongues,  they will cease;  if there is knowledge,  it will be done away.

For we know  in part,  and we prophesy  in part;  but when the perfect comes,  the partial will be done away.

That is a long description of “love”  —  but a necessary one.     Because it is so easy  for the world  to mess up our way  of thinking,  we need to constantly  set our hearts  and minds  straight.

It is important  to remember  that everything else  will be gone  some day.     Only this true “love”  will last forever.

So,  how is our “love” doing?     If we don’t have enough of it  in our hearts,  we need to pray diligently  for this gift  from God.     We can’t get into heaven  without it.

Paul’s definition  of real “love”  shows how beautifully awesome  it is.     Wouldn’t it be wonderful  if everyone  had this gift  from God?     This is what God wants us  to have  in our lives.     Ask Him for it.

As God fills our lives  with “love”  for our Lord,  and “love”  for those around us,  we will say,  “Hallelujah!     LORD,  Your love  is eternally wonderful.”

Love,
Margaret

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A Christian devotional  to glorify  the LORD of lords  and GOD of gods.

Pray for our country.

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The LORD  made this day, let us rejoice  and be glad  in Him.

Psalm 118:24

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The word of the LORD is tried;

He is a shield  to all  who take refuge  in Him.

Psalm 18:30

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Sing for joy  in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;

Praise is becoming  to the upright.

Psalm 33:1

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How blessed are those  who dwell  in Thy house!

They are ever praising Thee.

Psalm 84:4

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Just as a father  has compassion  on his children,

So the LORD  has compassion  on those who fear Him.

Psalm 103:13

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O give thanks  to the LORD,  for He is good;

For His lovingkindness  is everlasting.

Psalm 107:1

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Glory in His holy name;

Let the heart  of those who seek the LORD  be glad.

Psalm 105:3

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Not that I have already obtained it,  or have already  become perfect,   but I press on  in order that  I may  lay hold  of that  for which also  I was laid hold of  by Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12

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