The greatest of these is Love

                                         The greatest of these is Love - Link to podcast

Everyone needs a purpose and a sense of meaning in their lives and loving people, even in seemingly small ways, can fulfill a life in surprisingly satisfying ways.  Three things remain; faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love

For the last 16 weeks, the Monday nuggets of truth in the stories of hope podcast have been based on 1 Corinthians 13-4-7 often referred to as the Love chapter.  

  4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

The remaining verses in this chapter say things like we only know in part, we talk like children and we see life like a dull reflection in a mirror.  It seems to be emphasizing the uncertainties of life.  So much that is confusing and unpredictable.  So much trouble and complexity.  

COVID is just one of the many challenging issues we face in these times and there are a myriad of things that can unhinge us and make us feel uncertain about what we believe, what we can trust in and what is important.  

I am in the middle of this myself.  My heart has been playing up over recent months and has not felt OK.  Turns out I am getting more heartbeats than what is considered normal. These extra heartbeats are called atopic heartbeats and they are not dangerous, but instead of getting one or two per hour like regular people, I get one or two every minute and I can feel every one of them.

I have been emotional, grumpy and sometimes quite scared.  It’s not a nice feeling.  I’ve been to hospital in ambulances twice in the last few months and seen cardiologists, pacemaker technicians and my local GP on numerous occasions. Of course now that we know it is not dangerous the lovely Sue rolls her eyes and can’t quite believe all the fuss and attention I have been getting over nothing.  

Feeling fragile is no fun and sometimes things we have believed would be certain and solid, like our health or the church or family life can unravel in the blink of an eye and we are left floundering around in a fog, trying to see the best way forward.  

This chapter in Corinthians has been like an anchor in these times as it reminds us of the only true and solid reality of life.  We are loved.  We always have been and always will be.  Loved when we are strong and loved when we are weak.  Loved when we are cranky and loved when we are on top of the world.  

When we unpack the implications and realities of this love as described in this chapter we can find comfort in the mysterious yet somehow permanent and deep love of God for us and the wonderful ways in which people, often unexpected people, express this love to us on His behalf.  Love flows from God into this world in extraordinary ways and people accept and transmit this love to others all the time.  If we are to make sense of what is important in this world and what part we are to play in it, loving generously and wholeheartedly is one of the few things that makes perfect sense.  Everyone needs a purpose and a sense of meaning in their lives and loving people even in seemingly small ways, can fulfill a life in surprisingly satisfying ways.

The chapter finishes with these words.  And now these three remain, faith hope and love, but the greatest of these is love.        

Bless ya,