1 Corinthians 13 speaks of love. A great topic. We all need it. We all use it at some point in our lives; though, the methods and outcomes might look a little different from time to time. Unlike us, God’s methods do not change when it comes to love. God’s love is unconditional. We don’t deserve it but we have it anyway. It is just like a parent and child relationship. We don’t earn our parents love. We come by it naturally.

Jesus told a short parable about this very subject. He said, “How many of you being evil know how to give good gifts to your children?” How many indeed?

I know that anytime that I would go to my father with a desire in my heart, if it was within reason, he would try to get it for me. Now, there were those things in my life that we just simply could not afford like that new Xbox, or that senior trip around Europe. It wasn’t that my father didn’t want me to have those things. We just couldn’t afford it. Also, there are times that as children we want things that are not so good for us, but our parents are there to reinforce our good behaviors so we can grow into strong adults with healthy habits and attitudes.

God is just like that with his children. We may not always get the things that we want, but we do get the things that will reinforce the good behaviors of strong believers. And, as James says, if we do not merely listen to the word, but do what it says; then, we will be able to not just experience his love but display his love.

God’s main purpose for our lives is to worship him so consumed in his presence that others can’t help but see his hand at work in our lives.

God’s love is all consuming. It takes over. It leaves nothing that is not of him. The Psalmist wrote, “Search me; know my thoughts; see if there be any wicked way [A bad path with ill intention.]; and lead me in the way everlasting.” The Psalmist also wrote, “Your word I have hidden in my heart that I may not sin against you.”

The writer of Hebrews says, “That God’s love is an all-consuming fire.”

John writes in one of his epistles and is basically saying that “if we don’t have love, then we don’t have God.”

A song by Jeremy Camp has the lyrics, “Burn away everything that is not of you and is of me.” This is the cry that every Christian should. Get rid of every sort of malice, hate, lustful thought, anything that goes against the very nature of God.

I have even heard a pastor say recently that “the most bold prayer that anyone can pray is for God to have his way and consume me.” It might hurt whenever we find out what is really not of God, but in the long run it will do as well to let go and let God have his way in us.

The best part about all of this, is that God’s love, because he has loved us so much that he would give up his most precious treasure to save us. His love never fails! It never gives up! And, it never quits striving to reach us no matter where we are, nor where we have been, nor what we have done. There is a great Southern Gospel song that says, that we cannot go farther than the reach of his hand. God’s love endures the test that so many of us put up to protect our hearts from getting hurt. His love never fails!

As always, Peace, Love, and Christ ’cause you know HE died for you!