(The following is the July 24 devotional from my Next Step Devotions book. Before reading it, I suggest you read 1 Corinthians 13 and pay close attention to verse 7.)
Paul identified several impressive qualities of love: “It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (v. 7). These characteristics should be evident in human relationships and our relationship with Christ.
Here are some ways they apply to human relationships:
Bears all things: This word in Greek refers to covering, shielding, or protecting. We protect those we love.
Believes all things: We believe in, trust, and encourage others.
Hopes all things: We want, work, and pray for what is best for others.
Endures all things: We do not walk away from people we love. Our commitment lasts through challenging times.
Likewise, our relationship with God should have these qualities:
Bears all things: We guard our relationship with Christ against all enemies.
Believes all things: We fully trust God’s Word as his eternal truth for all people for all time.
Hopes all things: We have confident assurance that God’s promises will come to pass precisely as his Word says.
Endures all things: Our love for God perseveres to the end of this life. We will not forsake him, no matter the cost.
Few human relationships live up to the above test. We are fortunate to have one person with whom we share such love. However, we can bask in knowing our heavenly Father loves us perfectly. He invites us to love him and others likewise.
Next Step:
Who do you have a loving relationship with, as described above? Does your love for God measure up to the above standard?
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