Love!

SOAP - Love!

Scripture
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 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...

Observation
Paul's description of love.

Application
I remember the first time I studied this scripture as an adult. It hit me pretty hard. I read it and thought "Oh no, I don't love anyone... ". I felt really really bad that even though I claimed to love my friends and family, in reality, my love didn't look much like this at all. I suppose it still doesn't. I guess the way I see it is that our human love falls short, and this scripture is telling about God's amazing love. And God gives us his love to use to love our families, friends, even total strangers. For me, it seems like this is the greatest gift God can give me. My love is so pathetic. I desperately need his. I'm honored that he would love me and also share his love with me so that I can love others with this amazing love. This is often the saddest place where I see the effects of my choosing my own way, ignoring his guidance in my life. The more little steps I take away from him, the more I am left with only my own love to give, and that's pretty harsh. I need his love to give my family, my friends and those strangers that cut me off in traffic. His love is amazing. :-)

Prayer
Dear Lord. Thank you that you would even consider loving me and sharing your love with me. Thank you so much for the times when, through your love, I can love people in a way similar to what this scripture describes. I pray that you would help me open my heart to you, to receive your amazing love and love people more and more like Paul says we can. Thank you Lord, thank you so very much. Amen.