If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. 1 Corinthians 13:1 WEB
The first verse of chapter thirteen in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians introduces one of the most beautiful and thorough descriptions of love ever recorded. If you are unfamiliar with the chapter, or enjoy revisiting the word of God, the following contains the entirety of chapter thirteen from 1 Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 teaches the necessity of love in serving God as it says, “If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don’t have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing. WEB”
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 lists the characteristics of godly love saying, “Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. WEB”
Love Never Fails
1 Corinthians 13:8-10 describes love as unfailing and eternal reading, “Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will end. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it passes. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with. WEB”
Finally, 1 Corinthians 13:11-13 speaks to the seriousness of spiritual matters and the greatness of love saying, “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have 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 will know fully, even as I was also fully known. But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love. WEB”
Prayer: “Father God, thank you for the truth in your holy word. Thank you for loving me. Help me to live according to your will. Guide me to serve your purpose. In Jesus name – Amen”
Yesterday’s Devotional: God’s Special Possession
