With Valentine’s Day approaching, Mark spoke this morning at Cherry Tree Court on 1 Cor 13:1-13, probably one of the most passages about love in the entire world. The Bible is a love story between humanity and God, showing us how we should love God and love one another. In the first three verses, we see how important it is for all spiritual gifts to be rooted in and motivated by love. 1 Cor 13:4-7 goes on to give us a description of love which mirrors God’s love: patient, kind, loyal, longsuffering, not envious, always seeking the other person’s good rather than one’s own deisres. This description always challenges us, for it reveals our imperfections, but it also reminds us that such love is only possible as we abide in God.
To say that love never fails (1 Cor 13:8) again focuses us on God’s constant, unfailing love, rather than on our own fickleness and inconstancy. The three virtues of faith, hope and love are all important, but ultimately faith will give way to sight and hope will give way to experience. Only love will remain into eternity.
