Love Endures All Things

1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-7
“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.
”‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭13:4-7‬ ‭NKJV‬
‬https://www.bible.com/114/1co.13.4-7.nkj

v

Much of society today confuses love with lust. This kind of love is demanding and selfish; this kind of love comes with the expectation of something in return.
God’s kind of love goes against our human nature. Unlike the love of the world, God’s love is selfless and unconditional; it is not puffed up, nor does it irritate-It endure’s through suffering, it is naturally forgiving, and seeks nothing in return.
God’s kind of love goes against our natural inclinations; it is directed outwardly toward others rather than inwardly toward ourselves.
That is not to say we shouldn’t love ourselves, if we cannot do that much, we will never be able to truly love others.
But we can love ourselves because God chose to love us as individuals, and we can like ourselves because God chose to like us.
But it is impossible to have this kind of love unless with God’s help, we can put our own natural desires to one side, so that we can care enough to put others needs at the same level of our own.
“Jesus died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again (2 CORINTHIANS 5:15).
Jesus died that you “should” live for Him not “will” live for Him. He does not take away your free will. He came that you “might” have life and have it more abundantly (JOHN 10:10), not that you “will” have live and it more abundantly; you have to believe and accept it and walk in it to receive and experience it.
You do not have to live for Jesus, He did not take away your right to choose, but He paid a high price for you anyway, that you can choose to live for Him in eternal paradise (REVELATION 21:3-4). But it’s your choice and shall decides your eternal future.
It is a free gift and comes with no small print or hidden conditions. Only you benefit from reaching out and accepting God’s gift of life.
When one gives a free gift, it is an insult to say, “what do I owe you?” Therefore, our response to Christ’ free gift of life should be, “Thank You Jesus, and yes and amen.”
Jesus took our place on a cross to pay our debt of sin, even though He never sinned. This is a wonderful example of Christ’ love for His people, for “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”
‭‭John‬ ‭15:13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Jesus certainly wasn’t considering Himself, when He allowed sinners to nail Him to a cross, but rather taking responsibility for His people by taking their place on a cross to pay the debt they owe and afford them an opportunity of life everlasting.
We don’t have to die for others, Jesus has already done that and He said, “It is finished (JOHN 19:30).
But we do need to die from self, from our old sinful nature and all the sin of the world that we can be “born again” into God’s family.
Jesus is more than a religion, He is a way of life based on truth and love anchored in Christ.
His way is the only way to our Father in heaven (JOHN 14:6).
My brethren, this kind of love only comes only from God, and the truth is, “We love Him because He first loved us.”
‭‭I John‬ ‭4:19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Furthermore, “If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.”
‭‭I John‬ ‭4‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Our faults and failures did not deter God from loving us, and likewise, others faults and failures should not deter us from loving them.
That is not to say, we should join them in sin, or allow them to abuse us in any way, but rather, to care enough to feed them when they are hungry, to pray for them when they are sick, and ask God to be merciful toward them, without hidden agendas or expectation of something in return.
God’s kind of love endures through the pain of abuse, and is patient. God’s kind of love is long suffering and endures to the end. God’s kind of love is powerful and melts the hardest of hearts.
Therefore, “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the Lord will reward you.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭25‬:‭21‬-‭22‬ NKJV
Love is to care enough to share the Good News of salvation to all, and feed even our enemies, for they are all potentially children of God, and this is the least you should do for He who has redeemed you.
“Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22‬:‭37‬-‭40‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
When we put these two great commandments into practice all the others shall fall into place.
My beloved, if only we could all put into practice this kind of selfless love, this world would quickly become a better place to live.
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.