The Greatest Love

 [1 Corinthians 13:5-13]

5does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth, 7bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away... 12For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.


Are you amazed at what you see in this continuing description of God's love?  Do you HAVE it?  Have you received this love from God?  Keep pondering the words and ask God to cause you to believe that He loves YOU in this wonderful way.


God's love does not act unbecomingly. The Greek word in verse 5 is aschemoneo which simply means unbecoming. It is from the word aschemon that means to be shapeless. God is never unbecoming as He interacts with you. He thinks about who you are and deals gently with you in your weaknesses.

God's love does not seek its own. The word seek is zeteo in the Greek. God does not seek His own but seeks your highest good.


God's love is not provoked. The Greek word used is paroxuno that means to sharpen alongside or to exasperate. Do you find yourself thinking God is irritated or exasperated with you and that He will deal with you in exasperation? God's love doesn’t do that.


God's love does not take into account wrong suffered. The word for account is logizomai. It means to take an inventory. The word for wrongs is kakos which means bad or evil.  But God does not keep an account or record of your wrongs that can be cashed in at some point.  Christ's sacrifice for your sins paid for all your sins in full.


God's love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. Rejoice is chairo and means to be cheerful or calmly well off. Truth is the word aletheia and is derived from alethes that means “not concealing”. Do you think God is gleeful when you mess up? Love doesn’t do that. Love  rejoices with the truth. It all has to do with motives.  Love is always concerned about the highest good of the other person. God’s love rejoices with the truth.


God's love bears all things. The word bears is stego in the Greek. It means to cover with silence and is from the root word stege or roof. Love covers with silence as a roof. 


God's love believes all things. The word believe is pisteuo which is from pistis and means full persuasion or firm conviction. God believes all good things for you.


God's love hopes all things. Elpizo is the word for hope and means to expect, confide, hope and is from elpo which means to anticipate, usually with pleasure.


God;s love endures all things. The word for endures is hupomeno. It means to bear up or stay up under. Your tendency may be to run away from difficult people but God  stays up under the situation and does not run because it is hard or uncomfortable.


God's love never fails. The word pipto means simply to fail. God's love never fails. He will never quit loving you no matter what you do or what happens.

 

Sit under this fountain of love and fill up to overflowing!


Verna McCrillis, 12/5/2008
Feedback:
Allison (Guest) 12/05/2008 09:55
So often we are only presented these verses as a list of ways we are supposed to love others, what a sweet reminder that the example of love is God and that it is His love toward us that is all these things. Perfect love, unable to be duplicated by man and woman except when He is pouring it out through us. Today I needed to remember again that His love does not keep account of wrong suffered. Thanks Verna!
Melinda (Guest) 12/11/2008 17:51
Thanks Allison for reminding us that this is God's love for us. I always think of it in the "wedding" context; how we are supposed to love each other. As I was reading I realized there is a lot I don't believe about God's love. I started a I Corinthians 13 wall. Thanks for your thoughts Verna!