Devotionals for September 20, 2022

Ready to be baptized? Our next Water Baptism will be on October 30! 

I Corinthians 13:4-6

4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud

5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.

6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.

These verses give us an accurate illustration of love beyond what any dictionary can define. They tell us not only what love is but, also what love is not or will never do.

If we only concentrated on what love is then love should be pretty easy, right?  But...

All the descriptions of what love "is not" or "does not" do seem like the worst of human emotions.  They are the weaknesses of our sinful nature. These thoughts and actions creep into our lives only if we let them.

Fortunately, love is stronger than our weakness and we are freed from them by God's never-ending love, grace, and mercy. We need not fear the weaknesses of our old selves.

Love is not stopped by fear.  It drives out fear (1 John 14:8).

Think about what love is and what love is not.

Q: Which part of love is more meaningful, what "love is" or what love "is not"?

Q: What parts of "love is" do you feel you need to work on? What about what love "is not"?

Q: How can demonstrating what love is and what love is not can bring others closer to Christ?

"May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven."

Oh Lord, help us pursue Your will in reaching others with the love You have so graciously granted to us and expand your kingdom and glory.