Verse of the Day 6/11

Through the Bible - John 20

Good morning,

A devotional I read this morning brought me to 1 Corinthians 13, the "love" chapter.  It is a chapter that we should read on a regular basis.  It helps to reveal to us the condition of our heart and our love.

The verse that "jumped" out at me this morning as I read it in the Amplified Bible was verse 5, we'll go there for today's verse.  It's a humbling verse to read, especially coming off of an anniversary.

1 Corinthians 13:5 - Amplified Bible - It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].

This verse describes what love is not.  Unfortunately in reading this and examining my heart, it is easy to see where I fall short and where I need to improve.  The way to improve is through God's grace.

The other thing that came to mind was that the more that conceit, rudeness, arrogance, pride, and even fretting is present in our lives, the less love will be present or evident.

Read through the passage today.  May it inspire you to put aside the negatives and show love to your spouse, family, friends and those who you will meet this weekend.

Blessings,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net

mikesvotd.blogspot.com

1 Corinthians 13 (Amplified Bible)

1 Corinthians 13

 ¹IF I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such^[a]as is inspired by God's love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

    ²And if I have prophetic powers (^[b]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God's love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody).

    ³Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or ^[c] in order that I may glory, but have not love (God's love in me), I gain nothing.

    ⁴Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.

    ⁵It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].

    ⁶It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.

    ⁷Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].

    ⁸Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (^[d]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].

    ⁹For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect).

    ¹⁰But when the complete and perfect (total) comes, the incomplete and imperfect will vanish away (become antiquated, void, and superseded).

    ¹¹When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside.

    ¹²For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as ^[e]in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly), but then I shall know and understand ^[f]fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been ^[g]fully and clearly known and understood [^[h]by God].

    ¹³And so faith, hope, love abide [faith--conviction and belief respecting man's relation to God and divine things; hope--joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love--true affection for God and man, growing out of God's love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love.