Always

I Corinthians 13:7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

As I read this chapter that I’ve read so many times over again, I realize how incredible the love of God is.  He is the definition of love, and He lives in me, so I am able to love as well.

What are we supposed to protect when we love?  I believe it’s the reputation and integrity of our neighbor.

How are we supposed to trust another human?  I believe we trust God to take care of their shortcomings, and we love them anyway.

In what or whom are we to place our hope?  In God and him alone.

When we’re weary, how can we possibly persevere?  Through faith, in the middle of suffering.

I’ve got a long ways to go to love perfectly, like Christ loves me.  God is love.  And God lives in me.  And greater is He who lives in me than he that is in the world.  That is my hope.

Delight and Joy

^{I Corinthians 13:6} Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

Here in this verse lies the reason we all enjoy a good juicy tidbit of gossip, I suppose.  We don’t really operate in love, because somehow we “delight” in hearing evil about another person.  It’s so enticing to hear “the latest” and be included in some sort of secret information about the demise of someone.  Sounds twisted, doesn’t it?

Yet that’s how humans operate when our fuel tank is low.

Love rejoices with the truth, this verse says.  In other words, we should take delight in hearing the truth (God’s word) about our neighbors.  We should enjoy hearing good news and good fortune; but instead, we often become envious. That leads us back to delighting in evil.

Do you see the vicious circle?

As long as our fuel tank of love is low, we enjoy evil more than truth, and we’re in a continuous spin…going nowhere.

How can we love others so that we rejoice? 

Once we become secure in His love for us, we can securely love others.

Looking Forward

I saw this purse today, as well as some really cute scarves at Charmin Charlie - the scarves are two for $20 this week - a great buy - and there are so many choices in the store!  Stock up for the spring season!

No Record

I Corinthians 13:5b it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Wow, this definition of love is a tough pill to swallow, isn’t it?  I know I can get easily angered about even the smallest of things.  A person talking in a movie, a driver who cuts me off in traffic, or a small child crying and screaming in a store – all of these things can pile up in the course of a day and when we get home our husband just looks at us sideways – and we want to knock him over!

It’s usually when we do keep a record of wrongs that we then become easily angered.  When we are storing up grudges against many people for even slight things they have done to annoy us, it doesn’t take but one little knock from someone to send us over the edge.

How do we keep from getting easily angered?  For me, it takes visualizing the cross behind the person who angers me.  We are all on level ground at the foot of the cross, in need of a savior, loved by Him.  When I visualize the cross behind the person who wronged me, I can see that I’m no better than they, and we both are loved by Him.

Do I see that picture every day, every hour?  No way.  But when I stop and do, I stop and think before I speak or react.  And when I mess up and react in anger because of a multitude of stored up wrongs, I feel bad.  And the Savior who hung on the cross forgives me…again and again…because he is love.

Two More

I Corinthians 13:5a It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking.

This whole chapter is defining love, and here we see two more things that love is NOT.

Dishonor shows up when we words, tones, or looks to tell another person that we are disgusted with them.  Talking about our husbands behind their backs, ruining reputations of friends with gossip, or making fun of others and their shortcomings are all things that are juvenile, childlike, and they hurt.  It’s like kids on a playground that are screaming and pushing and shoving.  Someone’s going to get hurt. 

Self-seeking is anything that looks for a way to build up our own agenda and actions.  When we constantly try to be better than her, or we are always looking for ways to satisfy our own cravings, we are a self-seeker.  And we will always be dissatisfied in our never ending quest for peace.  It’s when we seek the good of others, and the good of our Father, that we are satisfied and at rest.

So far, I’m realizing how much more of the love of Christ I need in my own heart.  And I need a fresh dose of it daily.

Lord, show us how to honor you by honoring others, and how to seek you in order to be fulfilled.  Thank you for your word.

Not

I Corinthians 13:4b - It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

More about love and what it does not do…

Envy, I’ve been told, is when we want something someone else has and we wish they didn’t have it.  It consumes our thoughts and eventually our actions, because when we envy a person we can’t possible feel love at the same time.

Boasting, we talked about earlier.  Bragging and telling others what we’ve accomplished places focus on “me” and “I” instead of on “He” and “Him.”  Remember, it’s in HIM that we move, live, and have our being – and he alone deserves praise.

Pride – well you know – it comes before a fall.  This isn’t referring to being proud of your children, or feeling accomplished and proud of an achievement, which are all natural feelings.  The proud mentioned here is being arrogant and “puffed up.”  Again, the focus is on “me” and not “Him.”

When we experience the love of Christ for ourselves and for others, we realize there is no need to envy – the giver of life and all good things resides with us.  We have no reason to boast because we realize every good thing we have comes from above. And pride is not our friend, but rather a humble heart that bows before Him in thanksgiving for all that he is and all that he’s done.

If either of these three reside in your heart, just ask him to come in and then receive his love, and you’ll be free to respond and love others without envy, boasting, or pride.

Patient & Kind

I Corinthians 13:4a - Love is patient, love is kind.

Hmmmm, I can remember many times as a parent of my small children when I was not patient one bit.  I wanted my children to act right, sit up straight, and do it now.  However, usually the more I pushed them to perform (so that I wouldn’t be embarrassed) the more they bucked.  Could it be that love was not behind my discipline?

Hmmmm, I remember times when I’ve wanted my husband to meet all of my needs and in a timely fashion, in a way that I enjoyed, and when he failed to do so – I for sure let him know.  However, I was often disappointed anyway.  Could it be that if I’d been kind and loving, he would have responded in like manner?

If we write the opposite of this verse, it would say “Love is not impatient, love is not mean.”

Impatience.

Meanness.

The first two part of both words are “I” and “Me” – which is usually our focus when we are impatient and mean.

Lord, may we love patiently and kindly, because that is how you first loved us.

Nothing

I Corinthians 13:3  If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

This chapter gets more and more interesting, as we read. 

Many celebrities give to the poor, but I’m not sure I’ve heard of one giving all they possess.  They still show up at awards shows in diamonds and glitter.  And some Christians give their bodies to hard labor in the Kingdom, yet boast in what they do – instead of in the one who enables them to do.  Both of these are not examples of love.

Another place in the bible it says when we give, we are not to let our left hand know what our right hand is doing!  (Matthew 6:3).  And the bible also says that when we boast, our boasting should be in Him, not in ourselves.

The reason we want others to see what we’re doing and recognize us is rooted in our own need for affirmation and love.  But when we boast in ourselves, we “gain nothing,” except people who reject us and run away.

God sees when we give, and he loves it when we give cheerfully, without bringing attention to ourselves or what we’re doing.

It’s then that we gain wisdom – when we give out of love for Him.

If

I Corinthians 13:2 –

 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 do not have love, I am nothing.

I suppose one who can fathom all mysteries is indeed a person that would be well-known and liked.  People might flock to him/her to solve all of their individual problems.  The same goes for a person who has all knowledge.  They would have a hard time having a private life, because folks want mysteries solved, they want to understand life, and they want someone to tell them all of the answers.

However, we have to be careful when we go in search of mystery solvers and knowledge sharers – if love is absent.  In other words, gaining all of that insight does us no good at all if love is not present.

The verse goes on further to state that even miraculous faith (the kind that moves mountains) equates to nil – nothing – without love.

Gaining knowledge, and expressing faith, might attract people – but it won’t secure friendship. 

Love does that.

The Love Metaphor

I Corinthians 13 is known as the “love chapter” in the Bible because it defines what love is.  The first verse says this:

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

What an interesting metaphor here.  When I hear a gong or a clanging cymbal I want to cover my ears.  It’s a horrible, offensive sound and indicates something is off.

I suppose it’s the same when we hear words that are just words, without any action behind them.  Even lofty words, intelligent phrases, and angelic tunes can come out of our mouths – but without love – they are offensive.

Gongs and clanging cymbals ruin the sound of an orchestra or band.  Listeners will get up and leave, those in the band will oust the one who’s offensive, and it will be hard to find a place anywhere when we are loud and hurtful to the ears…or heart.

As we journey through this chapter, the closer we get to the “love day” of February 14, I hope we all gain a better understanding of, and a greater desire for, love that comes from knowing God.

Today, before we speak, may we listen to the melody being played around us and determine if what we have to say contributes to the song, or completely shuts down the music.

We Ought To

More of I John 4:

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

Loving other people – all part of God’s love being made complete in us.

This might be one of the hardest instructions we are given – to love others – everyone – even those who seem unworthy of our love.

Loving those who love us and those who are kind to us comes easy.  How can we not respond back in love?

Loving those who have hurt us, abused us, abandoned us, or destroyed us is impossible – without the love of God.

Can we love someone and not like them?  I think we can.  We can dislike their ways and attitudes but still love them.  This is a great mystery, and only one that can be solved by loving Christ and allowing his love to cover all sins – in our own hearts – and in the hearts of those who have hurt us.

Ask God to fill you so completely with his love that you are able to love others completely, as well.

This is what we ought to do.

This is How

I John 4:9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 

Do you desire to know God’s love?  Look at how he showed it to us.  He sent his son (directing him in love) into the world (a place of hardships – where he had to persevere and endure) so that we might live through him (to bring about a miracle of grace and restoration and life).

Any time we don’t feel loved by God, or we think he’s failed us or disappointed us, we must be reminded of how God shows love.

He directs us into obedience to his word for our lives, out of his great love.

He enables us to endure, persevere, even unto death.

He brings about resurrection life in our own lives, and in the lives of others.

That’s God’s love.  And it’s the only love worth pursuing, the only love that is complete and pure, and the only love that endures eternally.

When we believe and receive, we are alive in Him and can experience this great love of God for us.

Loving Deeds

Psalm 107: Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.

Wisdom is all over the verses in Proverbs, and here we see a word to the wise again, in the Psalms. 

In yesterday’s devo, we wrote about obeying that loving voice of God, realizing he instructs and counsels in love.  We might not understand or like his counsel, but when we obey it, we are not only wise – we are blessed.

This verse goes further to say that the wise obey AND ponder (think about) the loving deeds of the Lord in their lives.

What has God done for you?  Blessed you with children? Healed you from disease?  Rescued you from sin? Given you a house and a home?  Provided you with food? Given you eyes to see, and ears to hear?

The list goes on and on.  And we are wise if we think about his great deeds, and take to heart his great words.

Loving Eyes

Psalm 32 says this: I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.

God’s loving eyes are on us.  Isn’t that awesome?  And when he instructs us and directs us, every path and every counsel he gives us is rooted in his love.  This is unlike the counsel we might get from others, which often is rooted in hidden agendas.

The next part of the passage is one of those loving instructions – to not be like a horse or mule that has to be controlled by bit and bridle.

God wants us to come after him, follow his leading, walking under his ever loving eye.  But if we won’t listen, if we choose to be stubborn, then the bit and bridle might come out and “force” us to come with him.

A horse owner who trains his animal is not cruel.  He trains him for a race, or to be used on a farm, or for riding safely with his children.  The horse who learns quickly to obey his owner’s voice doesn’t require the bit and bridle.

I want to take his counsel, walk under his guidance, and be keenly aware of his loving eye.  But when I don’t do these things, I know his great love will train me so that I will.

Direct Love

II Thessalonians 3:5 - May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

I’m not sure I remember reading this verse, or at least I didn't realize what it said.

We all love to hear the first part about God’s love. We want our hearts to be wrapped in his love, so that we feel secure, we feel wanted, and we feel taken care of.  God’s love surpasses any kind of human love out there, and knowing we are loved by him settles all kinds of turmoil in the heart.

However, the second part of the verse comes right after being directed into God’s love.  It then says into Christ’s perseverance.

That part doesn’t sound so enticing.  Persevering implies hard times.  It implies pushing through.  It implies facing difficulty with no success in sight.

When we are directed into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance, we are being invited to share in the same relationship Christ had with his father.  Because of the father’s great love, Christ came to earth to die, knowing full well that his father loved him and would enable him to obey him in the most difficult task ever performed.

Whatever you’re facing today, you’re being directed, invited, and enticed to come to God’s love.  When you receive his love, you can persevere through any storm, ride high above any waves, and come to rest safely, alive and well.

Nachos in a Cone

These cute cone holders can be used for french fries, but also for individual servings of nachos!

Rinse and drain a can of black beans.  Make your own pico/salsa mix - cucumber, tomato, lime juice, avacado, or mango - all diced - and grate 1/2 cup cheddar cheese.

Pile tortilla chips (sturdy thick ones) into the cone. Heat the beans and spoon them over the chips, add the pico/salsa and cheese - and you've got your self a delightful, pleasingly cute dinner!

The Way of Love

Ephesians 5:2… and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

The verses after this one talk of walking pure and greedless, as God’s people.

Christ loved us and freely gave his live for us, and this smelled so nice to God, his father!  It was a “fragrant offering!”

Because Christ lives in us, we too can walk a blameless life, one of service to others, without any desire to hoard and take from others things for our own use.

We will mess up, fall, and be selfish at times, but because of his mercy, his blood, and his love, it’s covered and we are brought back up into right standing with him, when we walk in his love.

That’s the incredible nature of a life walking with Him.  It’s not that we’re perfect, but it’s that he’s perfect.  And all we are required to do is stay in him, in his word, and in his love.

He never fails.  His love endures forever.  His love sustains us.

Convincing Love

Romans 8:38  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Look at the things on this list!  The worst kind of evils!

Death and its horrors cannot separate us from God’s love.

Life cannot consume us and keep us from His love.

Angels and demons can’t scare us away from the love of God.

Nothing we’re doing or will do can keep us from his love.

No matter how high we go, or how low we fall, his love is there.

All of creation is at his command and has no power to take us from his hand.

We are totally loved by God, because of Jesus his son, and that love is strong enough to keep us from separation of any kind.

Have you come from a divorced home?  Afraid of being separated from those you love?

There is no separation, nor fear of it, when you’re in a love relationship with HIM.

Love Him

Romans 8:28  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 

This is probably among the top ten of most memorized verses in the Bible.  And we love to memorize and quote it, because it promises that all things – no matter how bad – work for good and not evil.

This is not true for those who don’t love God.  When things happen that are difficult and devastating, those who have no hope in God are lost and have no assurance that any good will come out of the tough times.

But to those who love Him, he is at work conforming us into his image, so he is in covenant (committed) to seeing that process through.  Therefore, all things that happen pass through his hands and “magically” transform into something beautiful.

It’s hard to believe this in the middle of the worst of days.  That’s why we need to read it, say it aloud, and lavish love on our God, because he totally loves us and is worthy of all of our praise.

Forever Love

Psalm 136:26 Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.

Forever is a hard concept to grasp.  We live so much in the now, we worry about our past, and plan for our near future.  But, forever??

We need to know that although every single thing here on this earth is temporal, including our lives, our stuff, and the earth itself, there is something…someone who will endure all of time.  In fact, he was, he is, and he always will be.

And besides that, his love isn’t going anywhere either.  It’s not here today if I’m good, and gone tomorrow if I’m bad. His love is a constant, not a variable.

And knowing that fact, I’m instructed here to give thanks.

So God, I give thanks to you that your love endures forever!

Priceless

Psalm 36:7,8 How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights.

Have you ever called anything you own “priceless?”  The stuff we have is not priceless, but only the people we love and the relationships with those people.

When we experience God’s love, it’s like one of those “ah-ha” moments where we realize the true worth of the love of God that never fails.  And the only way we can really experience that love is to be in a place where we  need refuge, run to the shadow of his wings, and see his love hovering over us.

It’s so true when people say we don’t realize the worth of things until those things are in jeopardy of being lost.  I lived in a big house and assumed I’d live there forever, but circumstances dictated otherwise.  That house had a hold of my heart, and it broke when we lost the place where we lived.  I realized then the value of a home and the blessing of having a safe place in which to live.

God and his love is worth far more than a home, gold, or fame.  And there will be times when we need refuge from the storm.  And under his wings is the only place that we will find it.

There is abundance there, and I love the last phrase of this passage, that he gives us drink from his “river of delights.”

Wow…that’s priceless.

Unfailing

Psalm 52:8 

But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love

for ever and ever.

I read this about an olive tree: The plant is a tough, resilient producer that can thrive under difficult conditions.

I’m sure we can all attest to experiencing difficult conditions at some point during our lives.  But this verse offers hope, in fact it offers a great future to those who trust in God’s unfailing love – we will flourish – which means we will grow healthy in a vigorous way!

So all of the trials and difficulties we experience are not meant to weigh us down and destroy us – quite the opposite!  If we trust in His love which never fails (never) then we will be like the olive tree – one who thrives – one who is resilient.

Instead of chocolates and candy, consider reading up on olive trees, and pop a few olives in your mouth as a snack in the coming weeks, as Valentine’s Day approaches, as a reminder of his unfailing love.

Abounding Love

It’s just a few weeks until Valentine’s Day, the next holiday, the day that those who love want to be shown love, and those who desire love hope to find it.  Yet, what many find is not love at all.

Exodus 34 is pretty much the first time we read of the character of God in the Old Testament: The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness…

The only place to find true love is from the one who is love – God. 

He is the definition of love.

He abounds in love.

When something “abounds” it exists in large quantities.  And that’s the way God’s love is.  It is so large and bountiful that it extends to all people, regardless of color, gender, economic status, height, intellect, etc.  It abounds to all.

In fact, John 3:16 says God so loved the world…  That’s abounding love!

If you’re anticipating, or dreading, the V-day coming up next month, journey through these devos over the next few week and fall in love with the most gracious lover of all – your heavenly Father. And see if this doesn't end up being the best Valentine's Day you've ever had...