Without Love All is in Vain
Loving God, ourselves, and others is the vital ingredient that keeps us feeling alive and pushing forward in our walk of faith. It is the power of God’s loving Spirit within us that makes our words, faith and actions meaningful and not in vain. The Bible tells us we can say wonderful things, do wonderful things, and have faith, but done without love, it is all in vain. In other words God is concerned about our hearts’ motivation, and longs for us to be motivated by His love. We all know we cannot do this without His grace, because our human love runs out pretty quick! Human love is imperfect because we love the lovely, strong, and agreeable. On the contrary, God unconditionally loves the unlovely, weak, and disagreeable. Jesus’ powerful love is able to overcome, and is available for us to draw from as we look to Him for help. We are not going to get it right all the time, but as our hearts’ continue their healing, process, and we experience a growing relationship with Jesus Christ, our motivation will become purer. Then we, through God’s grace and Spirit living within us will be able to offer this living gift of love to others in our world.

“If I can speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love[that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such as is inspired by God’s love for and in us],I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic power[the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose], and understand all truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have faith so I can remove mountains, but have not love[God’s love in me] I am nothing. Even if I dole out all I have [to the poor], and if I give my body to be burned in order that I may glory, but have not love [God’s love in me], I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).