Skip to main content

Love Never Fails

 After Saul (Paul) was converted from Judaism, in which he was a trained priest, to Christianity on the road to Damascus, he spent a few years learning how to be a better person for God's new work in Christ. After God prepared him, Paul started preaching the Good News to people in different cities. One of those cities was Corinth in Greece. When Paul needed to correct - or praise - some teachings of the churches that were established in these cities but couldn't get back to them right away, he would write them letters. One of these letters (often called epistles) is called I Corinthians in the Holy Bible. 

The message I want to bring to your attention today is what Paul was telling this church about love. He told them in verse 16:14 to, "Do everything with love." (NLT) The NKJV read as, "Let all that you do be done with love." What a difference we could make in the world if we could all follow this beautiful advice. 

In the same Book of I Corinthians 13:4-8 (NIV), Paul also wrote, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, 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."

love always wins
Image courtesy of Leighann Blackwood via Unsplash

The world is full of sin, and Corinth was a model of these sins - a breeding ground for sin if you will. So much so that the new Christians of this time were  unsure how to react. There was already a conflict in the way the new Christians living in a pagan city should act. They certainly weren't reacting in loving ways. So, Paul explained that love was the answer to their problems. The same is true today. Really let this sink in as you go about your days.

Do you anger easily? Is it because someone stepped on your ego? Is it because someone else is getting the attention you think you deserve? Read the passages I've highlighted above. Let them fill your heart. Be patient. Be kind. Don't be envious. Don't brag on yourself. Don't do nice things to receive something in return. Do nice things because people need kindness. Don't be proud so as to dishonor others. Don't be selfish or keep a record of others' wrongs. 

In doing these loving things, you won't become angry as often. You will be able to uplift others instead of envy them. I think you get the idea. If love doesn't fully take over your heart, you will run people off and you will be miserable. You're miserable because love is a command from God. Love is supposed to be a natural reaction to a sinful world. Being unkind is unnatural, and that's what causes the misery. So, take this news to heart today. Practice it, and your miseries will melt away.

Have a blessed day,

Patricia

Comments

Other Posts You Might Like

Bounty Paper Towels Product Review

Today, I want to let you in on a little secret . I recently bought a new four-pack of  Bounty paper towels - full sheets. I am not a select-a-size fan at all, for the record. Anyway, the newer package didn't look as thick as the last several packages I had bought over the last several years. I happened to have an older package in storage (and I actually noticed not long ago that the rolls seemed to be smaller in more recent packages, as well, based on the way they fit more loosely in my paper towel holder; not too long ago, they were very snug in my holder until I had used four or five paper towels), so I compared the two when I brought the newer package home. Lo and behold, I was correct. So, I think the decrease in sheets actually started happening gradually over the last year or so. But this time, the reduction was very noticeable. And I hope Bounty won't decrease the size anymore. As you can see in the pictures below, the older package of paper towels shows 58 sheets per r...

Easy Way to String Green Beans and Slow Cook Them

Before I accidentally discovered this amazing trick that I'm going to share with you this morning , I would get so frustrated trying to string green beans. More than half of the time, I either would not be able to pull the strings off at all or the string would break before I reached the other end of the bean. For a reason I can't remember, after washing the green beans, I did what I'm telling you below, and I was able to string my green beans with ease. It was amazing!  Put green beans in a bowl of water. Place the bowl of green beans in the fridge overnight. The next day, the strings are easy to pull off the green beans.  If you have plenty of green beans to string, you'll want to remove about a handful from the cold water at a time - and place the green beans remaining in the water back into the fridge so the beans won't get warm before you finish stringing them. In other words, the strings pull off better when they are colder. And the beans break better, too, if...

I AM: Meditation 5

I want you to go ahead and prepare for today's meditation by getting your  relaxing music/sounds (if you want),  tissues, and water ready. Have your journal ready for today's entry after our session. Find a comfortable sitting position, and place your praying hands against your chest near your heart. Release any tension, starting with your forehead and your jaws. Next, your neck, shoulders, back, arms, hands, fingers. Finally, your hips, thighs, calves, ankles, feet, and toes. Let those stressors fade away. Let calm replace them. Relax. Listen to Meditation 5 . Today's meditation is based on Exodus 3:13-15 New Living Translation (NLT): Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahw...