Perfectly Loved - 2/14/23

Perfectly Loved

Hey Family, today is Valentine's Day! The day of love. The day where love is given and love is received, HOWEVER, is this love that is being shared and exchanged, the REAL DEAL? Does this love align with what Christ calls of us? Well, thanks are to God, He has given us criteria to discern and align our love to what is mentioned in the Bible, specifically in 1 Corinthians 13. If the love you give and receive matches many of the following criteria, you can keep moving with confidence that you are heading in the right direction and that that love is genuine and Christ-honoring. 

Scripture

Loving Beyond the Surface 

1 Corinthians 13:1‭-‬13

"If I speak in tongues of human beings and of angels but I don’t have love, I’m a clanging gong or a clashing cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and I know all the mysteries and everything else, and if I have such complete faith that I can move mountains but I don’t have love, I’m nothing. If I give away everything that I have and hand over my own body to feel good about what I’ve done but I don’t have love, I receive no benefit whatsoever. Love is patient, love is kind, it isn’t jealous, it doesn’t brag, it isn’t arrogant, it isn’t rude, it doesn’t seek its advantage, it isn’t irritable, it doesn’t keep a record of complaints, it isn’t happy with injustice, but it is happy with the truth. Love puts up with all things, trusts in all things, hopes for all things, and endures all things. Love never fails. As for prophecies, they will be brought to an end. As for tongues, they will stop. As for knowledge, it will be brought to an end. We know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, what is partial will be brought to an end. When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, reason like a child, and think like a child. But now that I have become a man, I’ve put an end to childish things. Now we see a reflection in a mirror; then we will see face-to-face. Now I know partially, but then I will know completely in the same way that I have been completely known. Now faith, hope, and love remain—these three things—and the greatest of these is love."

Today's Prayer

"Dear Heavenly Father, You embody love and what it means to love. You showcased the ultimate display of love by sending Your one and only Son to be in the flesh with us and had Him crucified and died on the Cross for us. And not just a few of us, but the worst of us. To be specific, You came to live and die and be resurrected for the worst of the worst of the worst of us. For ALL of us. You did that so we might all have the same opportunity to take part in the fullness of life, freedom from the darkness and our darkest sins, and live life in eternal paradise with You in the end. Thank You, Lord, for loving us beyond compare. Thank You for being the perfect example of love. And thank You that even though we fail in our love towards You and others, Your love never fails towards us. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to You, O Lord, my Rock, and my Redeemer, Amen."

Quote of the Day

"Our vision is so limited we can hardly imagine a love that does not show itself in protection from suffering. The love of God is of a different nature altogether. It does not hate tragedy. It never denies reality. It stands in the very teeth of suffering."

- Elisabeth Elliot

Have a blessed day and a Happy Valentines Day! 🙂

THE POSSIBLE PLACE