love

Proverbs 29, Mark 1, 1 Corinthians 13, 1 Corinthians 14

 

Mark 1 begins with John the Baptist's preaching and the beginning of Jesus's ministry.  I am moved by the compassion with which Jesus healed the sick and demon possessed among the crowds that gathered as he travelled.  I am especially impressed with verses 40-41:

 

40 A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. "If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean," he said.   41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. "I am willing," he said. "Be healed!" 42 Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed.

 

I can just see this man coming with Faith that Jesus could heal him and Hope that Jesus would heal him.  I can't imagine the joy of seeing your hand and arm that had been previously decomposing suddenly restored to perfect condition!  I bet that feeling is something like realizing that the wicked and decomposing heart of stone I previously had was suddenly replaced by a soft and tender heart when I placed my Faith and Hope of eternal salvation in the One, True Messiah - Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living Covenant-God!  Without His Redeeming Work, I was doomed to destruction, but by His Grace and Mercy, He has enabled me to seek Life in Him!

 

Now that I have been adopted into the family by the Father, I am called by Christ to show His perfect Love to others.  1 Corinthians 13:1-3 explains the significance of Love:

 

1 If I could speak in any language in heaven or earth but didn't love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or clanging cymbal.  2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future and knew everything about everything, but didn't love others, what good would I be?  And if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountainand make it move, without love I would be no good to anybody.  3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would be of no value whatsoever.

 

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 describe what love looks like:

 

4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

 

Love is eternal, because God is the source of Love: 

 

13 Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me.  Thank you for showing us what Love is through your Son, Jesus Christ.  Please use me to love those around me - showing compassion to the hurt and wounded.  Help me see the significance of Love instead of what this world thinks is important.  I pray in Jesus's Name.  Amen