Thursday 17 Oct 2013

Thursday Reading: 1 Corinthians 13:1-7

Key Verse: 1 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.

Devotion:
Without love, we are nothing… A simple statement to make but one that is hard to fulfil and hard to even define simply. What we have to do first is to try and grasp what this word ‘love’ entails. We can think it all through and come up with intelligent answers that can be explained by great speakers or in front of great scholars, but without that special gift of love, they are hollow words that sound good and that is all!

Yes we could be very generous and give away all that we have, but without meaning we are just doing an act. The meaning that we seek is what is going to define why we have done what we have done. Love is not something that you can just talk up, think up or buy out. Love is something that you experience from the inside. Love is something that does incredible things.

Love is the emotion that gives you the patience to wait on others, however long it takes them. Love means helping others because you want to, not because you have to. Love is not something that will raise feelings of hatred, envy or jealousy. Love is not something that that should be used to outclass anyone or anything. Love is not something that you should boast about.

We can do a multitude of things and come up with many rules and regulations and even make the world a better place, but unless we have love with every step that we take, those things are all going to be hollow and without meaning. We will know in our spirits that there is something missing; we will continue seeking something new!

God has given us this love within us so that we can know the difference between what is right and what is righteous. With love we can know the difference between what is good and what is from God. With love we can identify God’s ways. With love we can always hope for the best, and put up with the rest!

Points to Ponder:
Are you bold enough to say “I love you”?

Aren’t you glad God said “I love you” first?