As the couple stood in front of the Pastor hearing him admonish them with words from the Bible, these three words stuck in my mind - "Love never fails." Three little words from 1 Corinthians 13 that seem so fitting at a wedding. Love never fails...
As wonderful as the vows they wrote so lovingly and purposefully for each other were, my mind wandered to all of the pain and heartache that I see in people regarding love. People hurting each other in all sorts of ways. A high rate of divorce even in Christian homes. That sounds like "love failing" to me.
As I pondered these three little words that held so much power I realized something - there was a lot written about love that precedes those three little words in that chapter. I will share it with you here:
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
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.
Such powerful words written here. Patient. Kind. Honoring. Forgives. Not proud. Preferring others. Trusts. Hopes. Preserves.
I felt the Lord say to me that the only way Love can "never fail" is if all the things that precede that statement are upheld. We so often forget the things that go in to really loving each other with the kind of love that won't fail. The kind of love that God intended. I think this applies not only to romantic love but also the love we have for each other as human beings.
I know I am not perfect and will not ever totally get it right in this life time, but I hope and pray that God will bring verses 4-7 to my mind every time the love I display (or should display) verges on failing. I pray that I can be a good example of this kind of love to my family and my friends and those that God puts in my path. I pray that it can be said of me that my love for others "never failed" more often than not. Can I get an Amen!?!
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2 comments:
Amen, Jan! And I think it would be beneficial to read your blog at weddings also. May we all be able to reflect 1 Cor. 13 love to others!
I will never forget crying out to God in pain at a very low point in my marriage and God led me to this passage. The word "persevere" seemed to stand out as if in large bold type! I looked up every passage I could find with "persevere". By the end of the night, my hurt and anger was replaced with compassion and an awareness of how wrong I had been. I'm so grateful God gave me a better understanding of what His definition of Love is. I had been putting "shoulds" on our marriage that came from a worldly view of romantic love. I learned to see my husband as a brother in Christ and much loved child of God above his role as my husband. This has made all the difference.
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