Skip to main content
If I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, 
and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains 
but do not have love, 
I am nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:2 CSB
I thought this love was supposed to be warm and nice...but it can be quite confronting and challenging.
Last week the "I am" was a clanging cymbal. This week the "I am" is "nothing". 
My own internal voice says "I am nothing" when I compare, when I haven't achieved, when I've failed, when I wonder about my worth. 
Paul says it's not those things at all. It's if I do not have love. 
And he places this not-having-love in the context of faith, knowledge, gifting. Seeing all those things in someone doesn't mean that they love. 
Having all those things doesn't make a person any more, or any less valuable in the Kingdom.
The one attribute Paul is interested in that underpins everything, that changes everything, is love.
I wonder what context Paul would write this to our culture, to my church, to me?
"If I have the ______ and the _____ but don't have love, I am nothing".
It's not about what I have or haven't achieved, whether I've failed or succeeded at something, or how I look next to someone else, it's do I love?
Love God.
Love people.
Let the weight of culture, the burden of our own or others expectations drop. Let the drone of our own internal voices cease, and rest in the love and grace of our God, and let that love be first in who we are.
#sunday
#worship
#itsaheartthing
#loveoneanother

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Genesis 15.8-18.ESV But he said O Lord God , how am I to know that I shall possess it? ...When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram... March 15 was the last day we looked at Abram's story...he was questioning God and this is God's response...sacrifices and smoke and fire and a covenant...a promise... Isn't that what we crave for sometimes? God, if only you'd just show me smoke & fire, a burning bush a sign, miracle, healing...then all my questions would disappear...all my doubts would be gone... 2moro we'll see Abram's response but I think God values our faith in spite of our questions and doubts. That we choose Him anyway #faith
Post a Comment
Read more
Psalm 42.1-11.nlt As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God... I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him? O God my rock l cry, Why have you forgotten me? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies? Their taunts break my bones. They scoff, Where is this God of yours? Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again - my Savior and my God! That song "as the deer pants for the water..." seems almost nice, but it's not...it's part of a cry of anguish, of hurt, of despair...of God not giving an answer...yet...through all that...again and again he says I'll put my hope in God! #choose #hope #hopeunshaken
Post a Comment
Read more
Joseph replied..."Dont you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good, as you see all around you right now - life for many people..." Genesis 50:19-20 MSG The view from the drone. The different perspective. "God has been at work in my life despite, in fact within the hatred that you had towards me. Even though I couldn't always see it, I kept trusting Him, even when He was silent, when all hope seemed lost... God was at work... Can you see that now?" #faith #faithinthedark
Post a Comment
Read more