A Cup of Java for May 12, 2008
Real Love
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. Love does not delight in
evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres.~~~
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
This kind of love is enough to send
chills up your spine! God’s
unconditional, everlasting love for
us is almost beyond imagining. God
loves us no matter what we have
done! It is so incredible. This
passage also describes the kind of
love that the Lord wants us to share
with one another in all of our
relationships – in our churches,
families, friendships, and romantic
relationships. We cannot love this
way through our own efforts, but the
Holy Spirit works in us to transform
our hearts so that we may love
others as God loves them.
Compare the way Paul describes love
in this passage with the kind of
love (in patients, trust,
perseverance, and so forth) in your
own relationships. Use Paul’s
description as a barometer for your
own relationships with family and
friends. Of the characteristics
that Paul describes, which ones are
your weakest?
Dear God, thank you for your
precious, unconditional love. Thank
you for sending Jesus to teach us
how to love, and thank you for the
ultimate sacrifice he made to show
us how much you love us. Fill our
hearts with your amazing love, and
give us opportunities to share it
with others. Amen.
Until Next Time . . .,
Alicia
