Devotionals for the Heart: Love

Love is…
A devotional by Allison M. Wilson

You are invited to read the key text for this devotional which is

 1 Corinthians 12:27-13:3 (NASB).

How many times have you heard or read the “love” chapter in the Bible? It’s often read for weddings, and there is nothing wrong with that, except most couples think they are supposed to go do all those things in their own strength, rather than recognizing that this chapter is speaking of Who GOD is. That’s where the end of Chapter 12 is crucial for us to remember.

We can all agree that only God gives the gifts of the Spirit, and only God can make the fruits of the Spirit alive in us. What we all seem to forget is that the first fruit is LOVE. Chapter 12 ends saying, “And I will show you a still more excellent way.” That should lead us to ask, “What is this more excellent way, Lord?” Once that question is asked, and we are truly seeking the answer, we can go to Chapter 13.

We speak, so often, from our “heart”, yet is it really? Are we speaking the truth in love, as we are called to do as believers? If I speak with the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I am even more than just a resounding gong. I can be a destroyer of hope, faith, joy, and someone who tears down another child of God in order to feel better about “getting it off my chest”. That’s not a more excellent way. In fact, it’s very much the way of the world which we are called to stand out from as different.

We can’t expect those in the world to treat us with the love of Christ. It’s just not who they are or anything they can produce. However, as believers, we are commanded to treat everyone with the love of Christ whether they are a blood relation through Him, or still wandering in darkness. This is a more excellent way which cannot be achieved through anything we do in our own strength. It is only manifested in us when we allow Christ to live through us. That love from Him, through us, shines a beacon of hope, joy, faith, and calls to their hearts. Whether they answer or not is not our responsibility. We are only called to love and let the Lord do the rest.

What would your relationships look like if you lived this more excellent way? If your speech was filled with love rather than cutting words, anger, malice, slander, or many of the other works of darkness Christ warns us against? What would our world look like? How would the world look at believers if His love was truly felt flowing through them? This doesn’t require that we accept things which we know are not of Christ. His love will show others right and wrong by His Spirit. We need not be the hammer beating them over their heads. We have simply been called to love.

Jesus came first to save the world…through His love. He will come again to judge the world, but He left behind His Holy Spirit to teach us this more excellent way. May we allow Him to love through us so a dying world may know what we already know…God is love.

My Prayer to God: Daddy, we fail, yet You love us still. We forget that we can only love others if we allow Your love to flow through us. Give us the eyes to see when we are attempting to love in our own strength rather than with Your perfect love which changes lives. We love You, and want to show the world Who You are. In Christ, Amen.

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Author Bio:

A very early reader and lover of the written word, Allison M. Wilson has been writing since the age of 8 with the heart to impart stories and God's truth. 

She has judged countless contests for the last 25 years, reviewed for several online publications, professionally edited, and written articles and devotionals.

Wife, mother, writer, editor, teacher, mentor, and mompreneur, God keeps her busy while living in east central Florida with her family.

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Connect with Allison:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allisonmwilson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amwilson