Today’s photographs feature Covenant Presbyterian Church in Ligonier, PA, and an unidentified New England church that was sponsoring a bean supper while we were traveling.
This is the twenty-fifth in a series of daily Lenten devotionals called “Scriptural Lessons Leading to a Godly and Moral Life.” To read the series from the beginning go to Daily Lenten Devotional Study Guide: Introduction.
Love Chapter – 1 Corinthians 13
Love
This is the twenty-fifth in a series of daily Lenten devotionals called “Scriptural Lessons Leading to a Godly and Moral Life.” To read the series from the beginning go to Daily Lenten Devotional Study Guide: Introduction.
Love Chapter – 1 Corinthians 13
Love
1What if I could speak all languages of humans and of angels?
If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong
or a clanging cymbal.
2What if I could prophesy and understand all secrets and all knowledge? And what if I had faith that moved mountains? I would be nothing, unless I loved others.
3What if I gave away all that I owned and let myself be burned alive? I would gain nothing, unless I loved others.
4Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or 5rude.
Love isn't selfish or quick tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do.
6Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil.
7Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting.
8Love never fails! Everyone who prophesies will stop, and unknown languages will no longer be spoken. All that we know will be forgotten.
9We don't know everything, and our prophecies are not complete.
10But what is perfect will someday appear, and what isn't perfect will then disappear.
11When we were children, we thought and reasoned as children do. But when we grew up, we quit our childish ways.
12Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face. We don't know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us.
13For now there are faith, hope, and love. But of these three, the greatest is love. 1 Corinthians 13
Read the following words from the March 15, 2009 Upper Room devotion, written by Lillián Saldaña Campos (Holguin, Cuba):
Love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. -Romans 12:10 (NRSV)
ONE day I observed a young girl, about 10 years old, as she gave a beautiful rose to an old woman and addressed her, saying, "God bless you." The woman, who was obviously homeless and shabbily dressed, exclaimed, "In all my years, no one has ever shown me such kindness. Thank you, little one." A loving gesture, word, or deed can make an impact on others.
If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong
or a clanging cymbal.
2What if I could prophesy and understand all secrets and all knowledge? And what if I had faith that moved mountains? I would be nothing, unless I loved others.
3What if I gave away all that I owned and let myself be burned alive? I would gain nothing, unless I loved others.
4Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or 5rude.
Love isn't selfish or quick tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do.
6Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil.
7Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting.
8Love never fails! Everyone who prophesies will stop, and unknown languages will no longer be spoken. All that we know will be forgotten.
9We don't know everything, and our prophecies are not complete.
10But what is perfect will someday appear, and what isn't perfect will then disappear.
11When we were children, we thought and reasoned as children do. But when we grew up, we quit our childish ways.
12Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face. We don't know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us.
13For now there are faith, hope, and love. But of these three, the greatest is love. 1 Corinthians 13
Read the following words from the March 15, 2009 Upper Room devotion, written by Lillián Saldaña Campos (Holguin, Cuba):
Love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. -Romans 12:10 (NRSV)
ONE day I observed a young girl, about 10 years old, as she gave a beautiful rose to an old woman and addressed her, saying, "God bless you." The woman, who was obviously homeless and shabbily dressed, exclaimed, "In all my years, no one has ever shown me such kindness. Thank you, little one." A loving gesture, word, or deed can make an impact on others.
The “Love Chapter” stands on its own. Multiple words give us glimpses of what love is and what love is not. For one exercise go to Daily Online Lenten Bible Study: Day 25 to reinforce in your memory these words that describe love and those words which are in opposition to love.
1 comments:
Thanks for this post, Monte.
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