by Kathy Stanford

John 3:16-17  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”

On Sunday, February 14, 1965  I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. On that day He became my one true love, forever. Yes, I have a wonderful husband whom I love dearly, but Jesus is my greatest love. Perhaps that is why I view 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, a little differently. It is a beautiful passage defining love, often read at weddings and 50th anniversaries. But 1John 4:8 tells us that God is love. So for me, these verses describe God, Himself, and how He loves me. Read them with me, hearing only our Lord speaking them to you as the lover of your soul. To help, I’ve written it in a 1st person format.

“I will treat you with patience and kindness, never hemming you in with jealousy. I won’t be arrogant or boastful, acting in ways that embarrass or shame you. I will always put you first and not take offense or keep score when you fail me. I will never make fun of your mistakes, but will always celebrate your choices made in truth. I will help you bear all your burdens and believe the best in you. I will encourage you to not lose hope and will support you to endure all that life brings. I will never fail you.”

Doesn’t it thrill your heart to think of Him speaking these words of love to you? I have not always loved Him so well. Sometimes I have been unfaithful, distracted by the shiny lures of this world. Sometimes I have acted spoiled and sulked, angry because I didn’t get my way. But He has always been faithful to me. He always patiently woos my heart to return to Him, as my first love. There is no arrogance, no brow beating, no angry retaliation. There is no score keeping. There is only a passionate, steadfast love that waits for me to return His love with equal passion. And while He waits, He loves me well. He endures my betrayal while desiring only my best, never losing hope, always believing in me. He never fails me.

As we approach Valentine’s Day this week, I am hoping you will spend some time meditating on these verses, rejoicing in the perfect love of Jesus. And if you are really motivated, memorize them!

 “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.Love never fails” 1Corinthians 13:4-8a.

“Thank you Lord for your endless, unconditional love. Please help me to love you and others the same way.”

If you don’t know Jesus as Lord, or are unsure, click on the tab at the top of the page for more information.