I Corinthians 13

1 Corinthians 13

New International Version (NIV)

13 If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 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. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

When I asked the Lord what scripture I was to read this morning, He took me to I Corinthians 13.  My first thought was, "Who is getting married?"  As I read it, I realized that this chapter is not just for weddings but is for our daily life.  The Apostle Paul describes love in this chapter in a different way than what you would read in a dictionary.  He gives a description of love displayed.  He describes it as giving instead of getting.  He shows how love is a long term commitment.  He shows that our love is shown through patience, kindness, humility, forgiveness, integrity, and perseverance.  When we have this kind of love for others, relationships will last through anything that comes our way.

I am reminded of the many trials Doc and I have endured with my MS.  The many times where I'm sure he was ready to "throw in the hat" because I wasn't very nice.  I'm so thankful he has the kind of love for me Paul describes here.  I am also thankful the Lord has worked on me so that ugliness doesn't show up when I am not feeling the best or overly tired.  

These last few months have been different for us with him being the one needing care.  I'm thankful the Lord has given me the physical, mental, and emotional strength to be able to care for him.  I'm also thankful I've grown in my relationship with the Lord so that Doc sees Him through me.  

As I start a new day, I pray the Lord will give me His love for all I come in contact with.  The first verse of this passage reads, "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."  I don't want to be a "resounding gong or a clanging cymbal"!  The desire of my heart is for people to see the Lord's love through me...to hear Him through my words...to have the desire in their heart to have a relationship with Him like I do.

Dear Jesus,
I praise You for these words You led me to this morning.  I praise You for the love You have put into my heart for others...even those who are unlovable....  Thank You Lord for the reminder of the importance of having Your love.  I can remember telling the boys as they were growing up, "You don't have to like people but you do have to love them with Jesus' love."  Lord, I pray for more people to have Your love that will flow from them.  Father, I pray for Your Words to flow from me today.  Amen.