A Daily Devotion for Tuesday, March 31
- ontrakk
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
1Corinthians 13:1-7
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
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.
John 13:34-35
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
These verses from 1Corinthians really struck me this morning. We spent Saturday with our son Kenny, his fiancé, and future in-laws, at the wedding venue in RI. We have so enjoyed watching Kenny and Nora grow together. From the first time I saw them together in NY, I was struck with the amount of time they spent talking to each other. If they were not face to face talking with us, they were walking along, holding hands, talking with each other. Any parent is delighted to see their child find someone they can love forever. I wish this for them, and I pray these words from 1Corinthians describe their love for each other forever.
Holy Lord, may Kenny and Nora know this kind of unselfish love forever. Amen
Becky, transforming
1 Corinthians 13:1-7. John 13:34-35
If someone were to ask me today what was the most important thing that Jesus said/taught, it would be this verse from John. LOVE! Love as Jesus loves us. Love one another in the same way. Why do we have so much difficulty with that commandment? There always seems to be some reason-some excuse that makes it difficult. Imagine if we could just love everyone. No war, no hate, no anger, simply love.
Prayer: Gracious God, Help me to love as you command. Help me put side my excuses, my prejudices so I may be more like you. AMEN
1 Corinthians 14:1-7
This familiar reading reminds me what I should focus on… Love, love, and did I happen to mention love. It makes me think about social media today. All the pros of social media are long ago cast to the wayside. Now, instead of bringing people together, it pulls people apart. It paints a canvas that paves the way for us to judge others. It spews out all kinds of information about how we should think, how we should feel, it tells us what to eat, what new hacks will change our lives, it even tells us that we’ve been taking a shower or brushing our teeth completely wrong for our entire lives. Corinthians 13 reminds us to…
1Corinthians 13:1-7/John 13:34-35
It seems to me Jesus’ new commandment is one that unfolds one heart at a time. Looking at the discord and hatred our own society and in the world at large, it is clear that on the whole, the world has failed to live up to Jesus’ commandment. Nevertheless, the world is incrementally made a better place when even one person knocks down a wall that divides and opens their heart to friendship and Christian love to another.
Prayer - God of love, may today be a day I can show Christian love to a person who really needs to know they are loved with an everlasting love that emanates from Your heart through mine to theirs.…