Daily Reading // 1 Corinthians 13:1-8
READY // SILENCIO
Take a moment to quiet your mind and prepare your heart for your time with the Lord.
READ // LECTIO
Read the passage above up to three times aloud. Allow yourself to feel the words as they are read.
REFLECT // MEDITATIO
Now direct your focus on the words, phrases concepts or sentences that got your attention. What is God speaking to you today through His word?
1 Corinthians 13:8 (NKJV) 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.
There is so much here to learn and understand about love. Love is not itself another of the spiritual gifts. Love is the activator of all the spiritual gifts. Spirituality without genuine love means nothing. Spirituality with genuine love means everything. The difference maker is love.
We learn something else amazing about love.
Paul goes on later in this chapter to say that the difference between life now and life in eternity is profound. It’s like the difference between seeing everything blurry and seeing everything clearly. It’s like the difference between life as a child and life as a grownup.
As a child your activity is very different from a grownup. Your focus is different. Your goals and dreams are different. Your motivation is different. Your tastes are different. Your the same person but practically everything is different. Heaven will be completely different from here.
But there is one bridge. There is one thing that is part of our earthly experience that will also be part of our heavenly experience. It’s a bit of heaven on earth, you might say. That thing is love.
Most of the activity and daily schedules will not be necessary in heaven. They won’t be needed and won’t make sense. Even spiritual gifts have their place here on earth but won’t be needed in heaven. They will cease.
One thing that will be just as needed, just as relevant, just as important on heaven as it is on earth is love. Love translates from earth to heaven.
Love is a bit of heaven on earth.
RESPOND // ORATIO
Pray in response to what the Lord has spoken to you.
“For God so loved the world.” Love is also your motivation, Father. Love is heavenly, it is also divine. Make my love today look a lot more like Your love. Amen.
Tomorrow’s reading -> 1 Corinthians 13:9-13
What a powerful picture of love. Thanks!
The one verse that sticks out is part of v7, "Love never gives up....". I've given up lots of times, but somehow it's been a word or action, usually by somebody else that brings me back. I even gave up on the marriage one time, pack up the bike, and rode off into the sunset, not know really why or where I was going. Didn't think I'd return, but after several days of riding, I came to the conclusion that what I had left behind, my wife and kids. I've put my wife thru to much to count, but she's always been there and she could say she deserves to be the one to leave, but hasn't. That trip h…