January 6
"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
For a long time I avoided this chapter
because I knew I fell so far short on this. Until ...I came to
understand that we ALL fall far short in ALL of God's Word.
The
remedy is to confess just how far short we are and to ASK to be
filled with HIS
love.
Real love is a gift. It doesn't originate with us. We live in a
fallen human nature and that fallen human nature seeks its own, not
that of others, and pride will make most of us unable to admit that.
If
you think you're "a good person," I challenge you to ask
the Lord to show you what's really in your heart. Only HE can reveal
that; our fallen human nature, our pride, isn't going to show it to
us.
Pray with me:
Father, I
know I am self-centered because I live in a fallen human nature and
that nature in itself is self-centered. Help me to realize this about
myself. Only then can I approach you and ask to be filled with YOUR
love, which is the only remedy for our plight. I bow before you empty
and ask to be filled, that I someday may be able to read the verse
above without the painful recognition that I am devoid of the love
you speak of. Let it be no longer me, but let me be filled with YOU.
In Jesus's Name, amen.
An excellent sermon on this:
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