Thursday, September 30, 2010

The Greatest of These...

"...no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, 
I'm bankrupt without love."

1 Corinthians 13:3 msg




"Love never gives up.

Love cares more for others than for self.

Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.

Love doesn't strut,

Doesn't have a swelled head,

Doesn't force itself on others,

Isn't always 'me first,'

Doesn't fly off the handle,

Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,

Doesn't revel when others grovel,

Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,

Puts up with anything,

Trusts God always,

Always looks for the best,

Never looks back,

But keeps going to the end.

Love never dies."

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a msg


    
Honestly, I have always had a hard time reading these verses.

I do not have this in me.

I cannot work up or manufacture this 
magnificent quality in my life. 

I am incomplete.


"...when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled."

"We don't yet see things clearly.
We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist.
But it won't be long before the weather clears
and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then,
see it all as clearly as God sees us,
knowing Him directly, just as He knows us!"

"But for right now, until that completeness, 
we have three things to lead us toward that consummation:
Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, 
love extravagantly.
And the best of the three is love."

1 Corinthians 13:10, 12-13 msg




Where does this love come from?

This love that never fails,
never gives up,
never dies?




"God is love. When we take up permanent residence
in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. 
This way, love has the run of the house, 
becomes at home and mature in us...

We, though, are going to love —
love and be loved. 
First we were loved,
now we love.
He love us first."

1 John 4:16, 17, 19 msg




"But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit 
[the work which His
presence within accomplishes] is 
love,
joy, (gladness), peace, patience 
(an even temper, forbearance), kindness, 
goodness (benevolence), faithfullness,
gentleness (meekness, humility), 
self-control (self-restraint, continence).

Galatians 5:22-23 amp




You are love.

You loved me first.

Fill me with Your love, 
as I cling to You.

As Your Spirit works 
the soil of my life
I pray that love will 
burst forth in big juicy fruit,
blessing all around me.

True love comes only from You.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Lovely, challenging truth!

Full of Grace and Truth!