1 Corinthians 13 says 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.
Bears - Believes - hopes - Endures!
Sadly that doesn't sound like the kind of love I see very much of in this world today. I see the more of the
Try it - Didn't like it - What's in it for me - I'm out of here! Type of love.
Let's recap of what this thing Love is according to God.
Love is patient and kind, ( Steadfast, despite Opposition,difficulty or adversity, with a sympathetic or helpful nature) Love does not envy or boast, (does not look upon with disapproval or assert with excessive pride), Love is not arrogant or rude, (not overbearing with a attitude of superiority in a rude or vulgar savage way), Love does not insist on its own way, (it is not concerned with its own welfare or advantage in disregard of others) Love does not rejoice in wrong doing, but rejoices in truth, (Love does turn from what is right) Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Now let me pull out only my emphasis:
Love is steadfast, despite opposition, difficulty or adversity, with a sympathetic or helpful nature, Love does not look upon others with disapproval or assert its self with excessive pride. Love is not overbearing, with an attitude of superiority in a rude or vulgar savage way. Love is not concerned with its own welfare or advantage in disregard of others. Love does not disregard what is right. For Love bears all things believes all things, hopes all things endures all things.
Is this the type of love you mean when you say I love you, love it, loves and Love ya with the Love of the Lord?
Do you Kill? Do you Steal? Do you commit adultery? Do you honor your parents? Do you put other gods before God? Do you take the Lord's name in vain? You say well never..... however,
Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (nkjv)
But do you Love? Gods kind of love? ????
Malachi 1:2 “I have always loved you,” says the Lord. (nlt)
John 3:16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (nlt)
I am willing to give my life to save my husbands, or children or grandchildren' life, but have never been able to say I could give their life for someone elses. But God did for me. In fact Abraham loved God so much and trusted Him so much he took Isaac, the son he waited 100 years for (20 years after the promise) to the mountain to sacrifice him for God. Abraham's willingness was all God wanted, and God provided the ram for the sacrifice instead. God provided our sacrifice too, His son.
Read what David wrote: Psalm 63:1-6
1 O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. 2 I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. 3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! 4 I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. 5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy. 6 I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night.
If we have nothing else in this world except Gods Love we are rich. If we learn to live in and give God's kind of love we will have the overflowing life, that is exceedingly more than we could hope or ask for. Do you see that "Love" is not a casual word to throw around? Do you see that "Love" is not just about what all someone can do for you? Do you see that "Love" is a commitment.
"Love" is a choice -it is not a FEELING. If God only loved us when He felt like it, or only when we made Him feel good, we would be in big trouble. God tells us to Love one another, as He loves us. We must choose to do that out of obedience to Him whether we feel like it or not. Feelings do come, but without obedience, submission and commitment it will fail, and God's kind of Love NEVER Fails.
The Greatest Gift
1Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. (nkjv)
Without God's love and God's kind of love we are and have nothing.
Blessings,
Lynn
2 comments:
Praise God for His love, what would we do without it. Thank you for this teaching on love especially at this time when most people are thinking of love in other ways. I had an Aunt who went blind when she was 13 but she could sing and play the piano. Her favorite song was "The Love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell; It goes beyond the highest star, And reaches to the lowest hell; The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave his Son to win; His erring child He reconciled, And pardoned from his sin. O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall for evermore endure. The saints' and angels' song. You probably know the rest of the song.
She use to sing that our church when she would come to visit.
Blessings my friend,
AliceE. :)
Thank you for reminding me of God's love today and for your prayers for my family and I. Thanks for your encouragement that God CAN ANSWER!
Blessings,
Joy
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