Valentine

Valentine’s Day Devotional
~ I Cor. 13 ~

Well, it’s Valentine’s Day and of course romantics all over the world will be finding clever ways to express their love to their Valentine with chocolates and hearts and roses! I am not a poet – the only poem I know is “Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet and so are you!” My wife is getting tired of hearing that one! Thanks goodness for Hallmark. But when it comes to love I believe the bible does a better job than Hallmark can ever do, because it talks about the great love of God! Perhaps one of the best known verses in all the bible is John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world …” We all know that God loves us; but the question is do we love God as we should? Jesus said in John 14:15 “If you love me; keep my commandments.” That’s how we express our love back to God the Father. But asides from that the bible helps us to understand the real nature of this thing called LOVE.
(A reading from the text)
I Cor. 13 - Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not Love, I am become [as] sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have [the gift of] prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not Love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed [the poor], and though I give my body to be burned, and have not Love, it profiteth me nothing. Love suffereth long, [and] is kind; Love envieth not; Love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Love never faileth: …

Notice if you will several things Paul tells us about real Love:

1. REAL LOVE DOES THE RIGHT THINGS FOR THE RIGHT REASONS:
When I was little I use to watch the TV show “Leave it to Beaver”. Do you remember the character Eddie Haskell? He’d act one way around grown-up and totally different around Wally and the Beaver! That’s called being two-faced or a hypocrite. Paul says real love does things from a pure motive and to do otherwise profits nothing!
(cf. verses 1-3)

2. REAL LOVE HAS CERTAIN ATTRIBUTES:
Growing up in rural Arkansas we’d say go get me a “coke” and anything cold and wet would do! Coke was a generic name for any kind of soda pop the local store had in stock! But the Coca-Cola company spends millions of $$$ to let us know that “Coke” is the real thing ®, “Coke is it!” Paul says real love has certain unmistakable qualities.
(cf. verses 4-8a)

3. REAL LOVE STANDS THE TEST OF TIME:
Paul concludes this wonderful chapter on love in verse 13 by saying that in the end there are three essential things that will matter – FAITH, HOPE and LOVE and the greatest of these is real love! I want you to know that God’s love for us is a love that endures, He always stands ready to forgive and to pardon if we will only turn to Him is trust and repentance. He only asks that you love Him enough to obey his salvation plan. Today, you can experience the real love of God that will never fade away as we stand and sing the invitation song!
~ H-B-R-C-B ~