Morning Devotional

November 29, 2004
"The Nature of Love (Part 1)"

by Don Emmitte

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If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth but didn't love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future and knew everything about everything, but didn't love others, what good would I be? And if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, without love I would be no good to anybody. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would be of no value whatsoever. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (1 Corinthians 13:1 NLT).

Today we start a rather lengthy series on love. The Apostle John’s first epistle tells us that God is love and that since we are to be like Him, we too should be love. We should love our family. We should love our neighbor. We should love one another. If we believe that, and we do because the Word of God says it, then we should learn what love looks like. The seven verses of our reading this morning provide the definition of true love.

First we see that love is patient. Remember, God is love, so we can look to Him to see what this characteristic looks like. Has God been patient with you? There have been many times when I was confessing my sins that I realized how many times previously I had made the same mistakes. I’m sure you’ve faced that same feeling. Isn’t it incredible how patient God has been with us over the years?

Surely this is the reason Paul lists patience as the first virtue of love. I’m sure that Paul, too, recognized God’s patience with him. Don’t you think Paul appreciated the fact that while he stood on the sidelines of Stephen’s stoning God waited for Paul to come to know Him, instead of striking Paul down in punishment? Don’t you think Paul remembered how patient God was with him when he continued to plead for God to remove the “thorn” in his side? Paul no doubt had experienced the patience of God in his favor.

Have you? Hasn’t God has been patient with you? Hasn’t He continued to love you in spite of who you are and what you do? Of course He has. The Bible says “nothing can separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus” and that “God is patient not wanting anyone to perish.” Yes, God has been patient with you as He has been with me. Therefore, as God has been patient, if we are to clothe ourselves in His love, we must take on the patience of God. Love is patient. It’s the first characteristic of real love. Commit yourself to recognize and implement this in your life.