It's All About Love

Enjoy this video from Steven Curtis Chapman, "All About Love."



Today's full reading: 1 Corinthians 12:27-13:13

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not 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 have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing." (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NIV)

This is an incredible passage of scripture. You have likely heard it many times. However, back in May I read something my wife wrote that really helped me understand this passage more clearly. An excerpt is included below. Click here to read the full article.

Agape is the Greek word used in 1 Corinthians 13. Agape love or God-love is divine, unconditional love that I am convinced within the natural man (meaning the flesh) we don't have any hope of possessing. This type of love is only a gift from the Holy Spirit. However, we can truly experience this type of love by yielding ourselves to the Spirit daily. Only agape can possess all of these qualities. God has helped me better understand these verses and put them into practice in my daily life by giving me this paraphrase:

• Agape is patient meaning that even though I could avenge myself, I will choose not to.
• Agape is kind and useful to His kingdom.
• Agape does not want what others have. It is content.
• Agape does not boast or brag except about God and what He has done.
• Agape refuses to be prideful because pride is deceit of oneself.
• Agape is never rude, therefore I should never be hateful or act unbecoming of God or the body of Christ.
• Agape is not self-seeking and it does not seek to receive love in return. If God had sought His own interests, He wouldn't have given Jesus over to be crucified.
• Agape is slow to anger. It can be angered, but very slowly.
• Agape does not keep a list of other's wrongs. It does not revel in other's failures.
• Agape doesn't delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth. It isn't happy when evil is taking place in it's presence.
• Agape always protects others by not exposing their faults.
• Agape has faith in others.
• Agape expects the best in others.
• Agape never gives up.
• And most importantly, agape NEVER fails!! When you love God and people with this type of love, your actions will never be in vain and even if it is not received, it will never fall to the ground. Your Savior, Jesus Christ, THE King of Kings and Lord of Lords will pick it up. Can I just say Hallelujah?

- From Elaine Price, Devotions for the Journey - May 16, 2008

Today, as an act of worship, express your love to God by loving others. Ask the Lord to give you the wisdom and strength to show agape love toward every person you interact with today. Praise God for demonstrating agape love through the life and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.