Christ Church Daily Devotion May 8 2024

This is a Daily Devotion from Christ Church for May 8, 2024, focusing on 1 Corinthians chapter 13. The chapter emphasizes the importance of love in all aspects of life. It describes love as patient, kind, not envious or boastful, and not easily angered. Love is seen as the most important characteristic to have, even more important than faith and hope. The chapter is often read at weddings and serves as a reminder of the way Jesus taught us to love. The Apostle Paul calls on the church in Corinth to embody this love so that others may know Christ's love as well. The devotion ends with a prayer to God to teach and guide us in following His ways of love. Welcome to Christ Church's Daily Devotion for May 8, 2024. Today we will be reading from 1 Corinthians chapter 13. If I speak in the tongues of men or of the angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. It is not proud. It does not dishonor others. It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease. Where there are tongues, they will be stilled. Where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part, and we prophecy in part. But when completeness comes, what is it in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child. I thought like a child. I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now, we see only a reflection as in a mirror. Then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part. Then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain. Faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. This chapter is certainly foundational to what it means to believe in Jesus Christ and live the way he taught us. Previously in chapter 12, Paul is teaching on the spiritual gifts in the life of the church and what it all means to be the body of Christ. This newly formed Christian church in Corinth has everything it needs to be a perfect church. It has a diversity of gifts given by the Holy Spirit, and it has a diversity of people. Paul has been teaching them that each gift is important, and each person is important. But if they don't have the way of Christ's love among them, the church will not endure to the end. The last sentence of 1 Corinthians 12 says, And now I will show you a more excellent way. The Greek word for love in 1 Corinthians 13 is agape, which is selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional love. In verses 4 through 7, we are given the foundational truths of the characteristics of love. Love is patient and kind. Love does not envy or boast. Love is not proud, rude, self-seeking, or easily angered. Love keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth. Love always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. This way of love is Christ's way. 1 Corinthians 13 is often read at weddings, because it is one of the best descriptions of love ever written. Today, let us glean even greater insights for this high calling of Christ's way of love for the people of the world, all people of the world. The Apostle Paul was calling the church at Corinth to have Christ's way of love for each other so that the people of the world would know the ways of Christ's love too. Without love, there would have been emptiness to all the good deeds the church was trying to accomplish. Your personal worship option today, Loving God, through the Holy Spirit, teach and help us follow your ways of love so that the world may know the depths of your love for all people. Amen.