The Love That Never Fails

Lionel Richie and Diana Ross sang of what every young couple uniting in marriage hopes for: “Endless Love.” That just isn’t possible apart from the love Paul described in 1 Corinthians 13. All these thoughts were reinforced in verse 8 when he drew his argument to a close: “Love never fails.” Because it finds its source and life in God, real love can endure anything.
Paul made it clear that other things are temporary, incomplete, and unreliable. But not love. By the strength and grace of God, it can survive anything. Real love can survive betrayal and distrust. Real love can survive disappointment and moral failure. Real love can rise above the insults and envy of people who consider us their enemy. Real love can survive criminal trial and imprisonment.
Even when the nature of our relationships change due to unfortunate human choices, the love of God can cause us to pray and, where possible, to act in behalf of another person.
It is the love that reflects the heart of Christ and reveals the wonderful change that only He can make in a life — Real Love.

Where Can I Find Love?

If the question of your heart is, “Where can I find this real love?” Let me share with you some good news. You already are loved. In the most familiar verse in the Bible we are told: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
To those who believe, Jesus described the scope of God’s love. To His disciples Jesus said, “Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ Or ‘What shall we drink?’ Or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:31-33).
It is only when we believe we are loved in this way that we have the security we need to take the risk of loving others.
Have you taken the first step of finding love in the Person and actions of Christ? Have you trusted Him? Have you believed the Bible when it says Christ died for your sins? That is the starting point.
Acknowledge your sin and your need of Christ, who came “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). It is in Christ that we find the love of God, and it is in Him that we see what it means to live in the kind of love Paul described.
He is the One who calls us not just to a higher standard, but to let Him live His life through us.