1 Corinthians 13 ~ love

1 Corinthians 13

¹ 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. ² 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. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship [or to flames] that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸ 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. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ 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. ¹² 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.

¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

This week our family is gathering to see a cousin of our's marry. Many years ago this 32 year old man was in a school carpool with our 3 year old son, when our cousin was a teenager. He is a terrific man - has worked for several years in a Christian camp as a counselor and helping to run the camp. Now he is in the green building industry. He is Christian, personable, handsome, muscular and has been without a significant love interest for most of his life. One day some one asked him to fill in one of the Christian dating sites. He did - a little listlessly - not even filling in a lot of the questions. His first date was love at first sight and she is like his female bookend, it almost every way. She didn't answer the questions completely either. She is beautiful as he is handsome.

In the middle of all the things in life that are bothersome, troublesome, disturbing - here are two people pledging themselves together for life. For love. God is Good. And there are so many people rushing to give these good people a party, Christmas is going to look very slow in comparison.

Father God, bless our cousin and his bride with many years of Your favor and grace as they walk through their years together. Thank You for Your many blessings for this family who have gathered together for generations and decades. In the name of Jesus, I ask. Amen.


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