Today's Verse - 1 Corinthians 13:6-7

Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

—1 Corinthians 13:6-7

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Life as a follower of Jesus is always about love - loving God and loving others (Matthew 22:36-40), doing the things Paul lists here - not delighting in evil, rejoicing with the truth, protecting, trusting, hoping, and persevering always! Living this always loving way in a fallen world full of self-centered people is a very tough and tall order and sometimes very tough work. Only God is always. But then Christians are fueled to this always kind of love through the Holy Spirit. Paul tells us that "The love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Romans 5:5). No wonder this love, true love, Christian love, loving like Jesus is always love - it is God's love, demonstrated by Jesus' sacrifice, and now empowered through us by the Holy Spirit to be delivered to others by grace.

My Prayer...

Sweet and Glorious God on high, I humble myself before you, recognizing your boundless power to love always. I also recognize the incredible need for this always kind of love in the lives of those around me as I try to love that way with my limited capacity to love in my own strength. So, please pour your Holy Spirit into my heart and fill me with the power to love as you do: always. In Jesus' sweet name, I pray. Amen.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

Today's Verse - 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

—1 Corinthians 13:4-5

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

True love does not focus on itself, but on others. Each of these qualities of love - patience, kindness, does not envy, does not boast, is not proud, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not easily angered, keeps no records of wrongs - is based on an affectionate, compassionate, and forgiving attitude that regards others as valuable to us, and to Jesus. Rather than placing value only on ourselves and our desires, we remember how Jesus lived and seek to have a heart like his (Philippians 2:5-11). This kind of love comes from the power of the Holy Spirit within us (Romans 5:5; Galatians 5:22-23). It is part of the Spirit's transforming us into more JESUShaped people (2 Corinthians 3:18). The old saying is true: "In the middle of all SIN is a big I!" When "I" become more important than others, when what "I" want and how "I" win are more significant than what others truly need, then "I" have lost my way and do not display the love of Christ.

My Prayer...

Holy God and Sacrificial Father, please teach us to notice others and value them just as you do and as Jesus demonstrated while on earth. We know you loved us when we were not lovable, and redeemed us when we were not worthy. So we ask for the Holy Spirit's help in having the heart like yours, as we take our focus off ourselves, and seek to see others as you do. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

Today's Verse - 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

—1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Love!
In the days leading up to Valentine's Day, let's remember the real meaning of true love (1 John 4:8-12) and not dilute it with the many sappy expressions of limited human love, oftentimes based in lust rather than genuine love. I am certainly not against expressing our love to others on Valentine's Day, but it can get so sappy, sentimental, and manipulative. Without our motivations centered on why we are expressing love, all "Christian" activities are more motion and commotion than true love. True love is the expression of Christ's sacrificial character through deeds of love offered to others without expecting anything in return (1 John 3:16-18). Let's refuse to get lost in the annual trip down sentimentality lane. Too many of us forget the needed daily dose of love that so often gets lost in the grit of day-to-day relationships. Let's be loving all year-round, showing ourselves to be Jesus' true disciples (John 13:34-35).

My Prayer...

Loving Heavenly Father, thank you for demonstrating your love for us in Jesus. Help us to love as Jesus did - selflessly, sacrificially, and consistently - so others may know of your love through our actions and not just our words. In Jesus name, and to love as he has loved us, we pray. Amen.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.