You know, 1st Corinthians 13 “The Love Chapter” is one of my favorite things to read. Like many folks, I find it encouraging and comforting. Many think it is just for marriage and weddings but it contains so much more from the character of God to keys for everyday living.
From 1 John 4:16 we know “God is love” so when we read “It [love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” in 1 Corinthian 13:7, we are reading attributes of God. They are cornerstones of who God is. Like promises, we can count on God to always exhibit these qualities. This so important because this should be the filter we use in all we hear, read, say and think about God. This will go along way in helping us avoid false negative perceptions about God that we may encounter from time to time.
The other aspect of 1 Corinthians 13 that I love [boy than pun just popped right out LOL] is that while showing love as the ultimate anchor for our lives, it gives us the other two keys for hanging onto the big rock of Jesus. As many of you may know they are faith and hope which are natural responses we all should have in light of who God is as described early in the chapter.
Faith is the precious commodity that begins our journey. It is like the key that starts the engine to get us moving in the right direction as we turn back to God and the wonderful path He has so graciously cleared for us to walk with Him.
Hope on the other hand is the element of endurance. It is like the fuel that keeps the engine running when we have hills to climb and the road seems long. It is so important to keep our “hope tank” full so we can serve the Lord diligently as He leads us each day. We need to not only stay focus on Jesus each step of the way but daily fill our minds with good, wholesome and holy thoughts that will bring a smile to our face, give us joy in the journey and a song in our heart.
All in all, I call these the “big three”. Faith, Hope and Love. They are key elements of living a life of purpose, satisfaction and contentment which can only come from walking with Jesus as your savior, Lord and best friend.
