Saturday, May 23, 2026

Opening Scripture

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:7-10

Opening Prayer

Most Merciful God, blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed are those whose sins you do not count against them. When we confess our sin to you, you are faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness, so we give you praise for your unfailing love. Your mercies are new every morning, and our hearts are glad. May your face shine upon us this day. Help us to walk in your way. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Daily Bible Reading

1 Corinthians 13

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.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Reflection  

After patiently and redundantly explaining the importance of the various gifts and functions of the Holy Spirit in the life and ministry of the church, Paul concluded yesterday’s passage with the teaser: “Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way.” That’s exactly what he does in today’s reading.

Love is such a familiar and over-used word that we often brush past it, but just because a thing is familiar doesn’t mean it is understood, much less applied. That’s certainly true with this crucial aspect of the Christian life.

“The most excellent way” is the way of love. More to the point, the best way to live is The Jesus Way. In this chapter, Paul beautifully contrasts and contextualizes the Corinthians’ view of things with God’s view of things. The Corinthian believers sought to elevate themselves and impress one another with their “giftedness.” Paul explains the emptiness and worthlessness of that perspective.

Since the Corinthians had a special fascination with the gift of tongues, Paul starts there. He then moves on to prophecy, knowledge, faith, and generosity. Even suffering martyrdom (as so many early Christians did) has no real value apart from love. It is perhaps not too strong then to state Paul’s case in the formula: “Life minus Love equals Nothing.”

Having established the essential nature of love, Paul proceeds to describe what it is by explaining what it does and doesn’t do. Paul offers a list of practical, everyday examples that indicate the presence or absence of love.

Love is patient. It can wait when it needs to. It can be hurt without retaliating. Love is kind. It is gracious and benevolent. Love does not envy. It is not jealous or resentful of another’s good fortune. Love does not boast. It is not arrogant or self-promoting. Love is not proud. It is not haughty or puffed up. Love is not rude. It is not disrespectful or morally out of line. Love is not self-seeking. It is not focused only on itself. Love is not easily angered. It is not quickly provoked. Love keeps no record of wrongs. It does not “keep score” in relationships.

Paul has made a compelling case for the supremacy of LOVE. Yet, after hearing his description of what love is and isn’t, most people may feel rather deficient. The good news is that, as a person becomes more spiritually mature – more like Jesus – love becomes a more natural part of their life.

Again, it is what Paul prayed for the Ephesian church. “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:16-19).

It is the journey from spiritual “infancy” to “adulthood.” When we continually experience Christ’s love for us – and live daily in response to that love – over time we become “filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Faith and hope are incredibly important, but the greatest is love!

Flourishing Habit

Flourishing Christians

After our Lenten study of John’s Gospel, it should come as no surprise that, in God’s kingdom, “the greatest of these is love.” Jesus told His disciples, “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” (John 13:34-35).

It is important to remember that God not only loves perfectly, God is love. This divine, unconditional, sacrificial, knowing-and-wanting-what’s-best love (agapaó) is only available in God. It is His nature. We come to understand true love through an intimate relationship with Him.

As we experience God’s love personally and are shaped by His Spirit continually, we are increasingly able to manifest this most important of “gifts.”

Love only exists in relationship with others.

Are your relationships characterized by love?

Who do you have a hard time loving? Ask God to help you do it. Today.

Remember: Nothing changes until something changes!