Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast; it is not proud.
It does not dishonor others, 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.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Quite a list of accomplishments, wouldn’t you say? Perhaps you might say to yourself, ‘Do you really think anyone can do that—love that way?’ Well, I DO know someONE Who can! (You do, too!) Our Father, Almighty God, the Great I AM…He can! And He does!
Here are a few verses just to remind us of God’s never failing love.
But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.
Psalms 13:5 and 6
I have loved you with an everlasting love….
Jeremiah 31:3
Psalm 136 tells us “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, for His love endures forever.” And this truth is reiterated in every single verse throughout this psalm…26 times!
As our study of the 16 Day Love Challenge: Matching our Words and Actions with 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 draws to a close, we look at God’s final statement in this passage about LOVE.
Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13:8
It doesn’t say ‘almost never’ or ‘almost all the time’ or ‘99 out of 100 times’, does it? No, ma’am…it says ‘Love never fails.’
never (adverb)
1. at no time in the past or future; on no occasion; not ever.
synonyms: not ever, at no time, not at any time, not once, ne’er.2. not at all
synonyms: certainly not, not for a moment, under no circumstances, on no account(and here are a few informal synonyms: no way, not on your life, not in a million years, when pigs fly, when hell freezes over.)
Can I tell you something? I do know someone else, besides our great God who can love that way! Really! It is y.o.u. Yes, my friend, you CAN love others in that same way! Hey, now, no scoffing, no pshawing, no doubting—the Scriptures clearly communicate this!
…Because God’s love has been poured into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Romans 5:5
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another,
even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if You have love for one another.
John 13:34-35
This is my commandment: that you love one another as I have loved you.
John 15:12
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God
and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.
Anyone who does not love does not know God,
because God is love.
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
1 John 4:7-8, 11
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God and God in them.
This is how love is perfected with us
so that we will have confidence on the day of Judgment;
because as He is, so are we in this world.
Verses 16 and 17
And He has given us this command:
anyone who loves God must also love their brother or sister.
Verse 21
God’s Word is Truth! And so, we are what the Word of God says that we are! We ARE able to love as God loves. As we were reminded the other day by Cherie, truth is not determined by our experience but simply by the Truth of the Scriptures.
Try this! Read through these verses again (out loud, please!), inserting your name along with ‘love.’ Like this…
{Cherie’s} love is patient, {Rebecca’s} love is kind.
{Kim’s love} does not envy, {Cynda’s love} does not boast; {Rae Ann’s love} is not proud.
{Darcie’s love} does not dishonor others, {Jennifer’s love} is not self-seeking,
{Cyndie’s love} is not easily angered, {Clella’s love} keeps no record of wrongs.
{Beverly’s} love does not delight in evil but {Robin’s love} rejoices with the Truth.
{Shari’s love} always protects, {Chelle’s love} always trusts,
{Kristen‘s love} always hopes, {Aminah‘s love} always perseveres.
{Christi’s} love never fails.
Let’s Pray:
Lord, we are so thankful that it was Your plan for us to study together and to work the 16 Day Love Challenge together!!! Our lives are forever changed. We do so need Your help through the Holy Spirit that You have placed within us, Lord! You know (we do, too) that there will be times we are tempted to think that we cannot love like this. Help us to recognize that lie and to replace it with the Truth that we can love because You have placed Your love within us! Today may we reach out to everyone around us with Your love that is in our hearts! Thank You, Lord! It is only because of Your great grace and mercy! We pray these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.
About coleen hayden
Coleen, what a wonderful way to end this study! Thank you, for your insight and these encouraging Scriptures! I was encouraged as I read the definition and synonyms of “never.” Then when I read your next statements that I can love like that my heart literally gave an extra beat! I stopped to ponder why and discovered two emotions going on. One was “fear” that I can’t live up to that, and the other was HOPE because as you said, “God’s Word is Truth!” This is exactly why it is SO important to be studying and memorizing His Word daily–so we can combat the lies in our head with the Truth of the Great I AM.
I love putting my name into Scriptures I read, but hadn’t done that with I Cor 13. It was very encouraging, thank you!
Adding my “amen” to your prayer!
BEAUTIFUL!!! What a perfect ending to this study! God’s love shines through you, Coleen! Love you Girlfriend!!!
thank you, christi! and, just like all of us, God’s love has been put into our hearts through the holy spirit…now what am i going to do with it? today i am choosing to love like He loves! <3
<3 so good that you pursued 'looking' at those emotions…can't deal with 'em if we don't recognize 'em, right? and, for me, too, there is that element of fear creeping in accompanied by the lies that the enemy of my soul 'tempts' me with. but it is the TRUTH that sets us free…and, as you wrote, 'we combat the lies…with the Truth of the Great I AM.' thankful to have sisters like y'all in my life! <3
Coleen said it! I am thankful to have sisters like y’all in my life, too, ladies! Wow, a more perfect ending to this study would be hard to find. Thank you all (authors and bloggers) for an absolutely soul stinging study! This is definitely one that I can put into practice day after day for the rest of my life. What a joy this has been! Makes me want to yell, “Encore!” 🙂
a joy for sure! <3
(sorry…hit post too quickly!) yes: “…putting this into practice day after day for the rest of my life.” amen <3
What a wonderful way to wrap up this study Coleen! I love Psalm 136 🙂 thanks for the encouraging scriptures you included. They will help me believe I can truly love like this
me, too, cynda! God is so good to us! <3
Awesome and gorgeous. Inspiring and great way to end the study. Looking forward to the next one too. I’m praying that prayer with you. So grateful for grace that I’m forgiven fir when I fail. When I say words that crush instead of building up. When I’m not hopeful and grateful and forget the Blesser. Love never fails!!!