“Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way.” (1 Corinthians 12: 31)

If we could write the message of all the scriptures in one phrase, we might just pick this phrase from Psalm 136, “His love endures forever.” Psalm 136 has 26 verses. The second half of each verse will repeat, “His love endures forever.” The Psalm begins by stating, “Give thanks to the Lord.” (Psalm 136:1a) And it concludes with “Give thanks to the God of heaven.” (Psalm 136:26a) Throughout the Psalm, the author speaks of God’s actions in the lives of man all demonstrating God’s love. It is a reminder of God’s love for those who are His own. It is a reminder that God’s way is the only way because “His love endures forever.”

Paul wants to send encouragement to the church at Corinth as he points them to the most excellent way, the way of His love. In the church at Corinth, there were many who were doing incredible and wonderful things. However, they were missing the way of God and His love that endures forever. Paul states, “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have 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 do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3) If what I say, what I know, and what I believe is not filled with the love of God, then I am just a lot of noise and what I do has no meaning. The way of God is paved with His love and we are to walk in that way of love.

Paul describes the love of God which will endure forever. “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)

When we read over this picture of love, we see God’s love for us, the love that endures forever. This is the love demonstrated by Jesus. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39) This is the love that endures forever.

This love comes pouring into our lives as we come to God by faith. We can receive His love. Then as His own, He can pour his love through us to others. “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. . .. We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:10-11, 19)

In the Love of Jesus,

Michael Block