Devotionals

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And yet I show you a more excellent way....

But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way. (1 Corinthians 12:31, New King James Version)




Today I am reminded of a movie I saw many years ago staring Bill Murray called "Ground Hog Day". It was a story of a man named Phil Connors, an arrogant weather man who was mean and nasty to everyone he met, he loved no one and no one really loved him. During the course of the movie, Phil was forced to relive the same day, Ground Hog Day, over and over again. He alone remembered the lessons he learned on each successive day he relived, both good and bad. The same day repeated every morning (possibly for many years) until he was finally transformed into a better person by learning how to unselfishly love and serve his fellow man. It was only when he learned how to love others, that he was released from the curse and allowed to live the rest of his life, taking the lessons he had learned that Ground Hog Day with him. Silly premise I know, but there is a good lesson for us in the story; if we live our lives without the love of God in our hearts, our lives are empty and even the "good" things we do are good for nothing.




The apostle Paul when addressing the church in Corinth spoke of their unity in the church. He spoke to them about the way that they treated one another in their daily lives and explained that without love, the things we do have no meaning. In the previous chapter he spoke of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and how they were to conduct their church services, now in Chapter 13 of the book of 1 Corinthians he tells them of the "more excellent way" they are to live their lives.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging 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, but 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, but have not love, it profits me nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3, New King James Version)

The apostle Paul was a well educated biblical scholar, he was a Hebrew of Hebrews, a Pharisee, a student of the Law of Moses. He knew the scriptures, he was a prophet, he understood the mysteries of the Bible, had great faith that moved mountains. Yet he said that all though he may have all of these things and even though he gives all he has to the poor and even gives his own body to the flames of martyrdom, if he does not love like God loves, then all of these things he does are nothing. Works alone without the Love of God in our hearts being the very reason we do the things we do, make us as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. All sound and no substance. Paul was encouraging the Church in Corinth to do everything with Love as their primary motivation. He describes true Love this way.




Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8, New King James Version)

Oswald Chambers said in his devotional book "My Upmost for His Highest", in the April 30th reading:

Love is not premeditated, it is spontaneous, i.e., it bursts up in extraordinary ways. There is nothing of mathematical certainty in Paul's category of love. We cannot say - "Now I am going to think no evil; I am going to believe all things." The characteristic of love is spontaneity. We do not set the statements of Jesus in front of us as a standard; but when His Spirit is having His way with us, we live according to His standard with out knowing it, and on looking back we are amazed at the disinterestedness of a particular emotion, which is the evidence that the spontaneity of real love was there. In everything to do with the life of God in us, its nature is only discerned when it is past.




The springs of love are in God, not in us. It is absurd to look for the love of God in our hearts naturally, it is only there when it has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.




If we try to prove to God how much we love Him, it is a sure sign that we do not love Him. The evidence of our love for Him is the absolute spontaneity of our love, it comes naturally. In looking back we cannot tell why we did certain things, we did them according to the spontaneous nature of His love in us. The life of God manifests itself in this spontaneous way because the springs of love are in the Holy Ghost. (Romans 5:5.) (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, April 30th reading)




The question we must now ask ourselves is just what kind of Love was Paul really talking about in Chapter 13 of 1st Corinthians? Love is the subject of many a song, the poets talk of their pursuit of Love, the joy in finding of Love and the pain of their loss of Love. The above passage is used as a scripture reading at most Christian weddings. However, just what word is the Apostle Paul using when he speaks of Love in this passage?




There are three Greek words that are used to define Love. The most common word we use for love in the Greek is Eros, this refers to the physical love or romantic love that most poets regale as the highest of all pursuits. However, Eros by its very nature is fleeting and does not last very long. It is based solely on physical desire and will fade in and out; it is always looking for a new object of affection and it will end in heartbreak if it is not replaced by another higher type of love.




The second word the Greeks have for love is Philos; this is the esteem or affection we find in our casual friendships with one another. It is a preference of one person over another. It can be a strong bond and it is based on mutual affection, respect and esteem for the other person. It is a bond formed over time due to mutually shared experiences and closeness. However, this is not the kind of Love about which the Apostle Paul is speaking in verses 4-8 of this chapter.




The third word the Greeks used for Love is Agape. Paul used this rarely used word, which speaks of a Godly Love that is based on the deliberate choice to love by the one who loves. This choice to love is not based on the worthiness of the other person, but solely on the choice of the one who chooses to love them. It is a selfless love, that expects nothing in return from the one who is loved. This kind of Love is God's Love toward us, the Love that Christ showed us through his death on the Cross. The Apostle John spoke of this kind of Love in 1 John 4: 9-11.

In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (1 John 4:9-11, New King James Version)

True love is kind, long suffering, it does not envy, boast, think evil, it endures suffering, it builds up and does not tear down the one that is loved. True love desires the best for the one that is loved, it waits forever, it does not behave rudely, it is not proud, it does not think evil, it does not rejoice in sin, but rejoices in the truth.

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. (1 Corinthians 13:8-10, New King James Version)




"Love never fails." Paul was trying to help the Church in Corinth realize that the "flashy" things they were putting so much stock in would one day cease to exist. The only thing that truly matters is the Love of God that we give to one another. The prophesies will one day cease and knowledge will one day fade away. Love is the only thing that remains when all else is lost. When we stand in Heaven at the Judgement seat of Christ, the things we did in Love and what we gave motivated by the Love of God, will be the only thing that will stand.




When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:11-13, New King James Version)




"The greatest of these is Love." We should strive to make the Love of God be the primary motivation in our hearts for everything we do in this life. For Love is the only thing that will last. Jesus when asked what was the greatest commandment answered this way:

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:36-40, New King James Version)

Do you have the capacity to love this way? Only through the power of the Holy Spirit can I love this way. It is a daily struggle to allow the Love of Christ to manifest itself in my heart and in my life to other people. So I ask you, do you know Jesus today? Does he know you? Examine yourselves to know that you are in the faith.




If you do not know him, you can know him today. Today is the day of salvation. Surrender your heart to him, repent of your sin, ask him to forgive you and save your soul. It is written:

For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13, New King James Version).

Will you call upon him now?




Let us pray:




My Gracious and most precious Heavenly Father,

I come before you now and admit that I am a sinner in need of a savior. I cannot love you without you manifesting the Love of God in my heart. As best I know how, I repent of my sins and ask that you come into my heart and save my soul. Lord I surrender my life to you and ask that you live your life through me. I thank you for saving my soul. Help me to love you with all my heart and to love others as myself so that I may live a life that is pleasing to you. Help me to walk close and clean before you live a life that is a testament of your glory and grace. I praise your Holy name for all that you have done and will do in my life. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen

Scripture for Today:




1 Corinthians 12: 31 and Chapter 13

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+12%3A31&version=NKJV&src=embed




http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+13+&version=NKJV&src=embed

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