01 Feb God is love

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)

It’s February, the month of Valentine’s Day, when our thoughts turn to love. Over the past decade, I’ve often closed out my messages with this “fan favorite” which God prompted me to share with you this month. It goes something like this.

Many of our wedding ceremonies included 1 Corinthians 13 – the Apostle Paul’s famous “love” chapter (a show of hands overwhelmingly confirms this). Yet, married or single, 1 Corinthians 13 is a subtle but powerful testimony to God’s agape (unconditional) love which I’m humbled to recite now:

And now I will show you the most excellent way.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Beautiful, just beautiful! (At this point, several people in the audience are shedding tears of joy!)

The Apostle John relates twice in the fourth chapter of 1 John that God is love (1 John 4:8,16).

Savor that: God is love!

My bride and I are both math tutors, so when we see the word “is” we often think of an “equals” sign.

In other words: God = love!

Listen again to Apostle Paul’s love chapter from this perspective: God is love.

And now I will show you the most excellent way.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not God, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not God, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not God, I gain nothing.

God is patient, God is kind. He does not envy, He does not boast, He is not proud. He is not rude, He is not self-seeking, He is not easily angered, He keeps no record of wrongs. God does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. God always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

God never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and God. But the greatest of these is God.

God is the greatest: how true!!! (At this point, many are crying, including me.)

God loves you SO much!

How much?

So much that He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for you and me! Our sin broke His heart, but Jesus’ death broke sin’s deathly hold upon us. By simply believing in Him, we have life eternal because of Jesus’ love for us!

God is love!!!

Celebrating His love,

Travis L. Zimmerman

Pastor and Co-Founder