“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1Cor.13:7 ESV). “Love puts up with anything. Trusts God always. Always looks for the best. Never looks back, but keeps going to the end” (1Cor.13:7 The Message). “Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything” (1Cor.13:7 JB Phillips). “Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1Cor.13:7 NIV).
Dear Jesus, no matter how we translate, paraphrase, or parse this one verse, it makes us grateful for three things today: 1. You and your stunning, exquisite, lavish love for us (Eph.3:18). 2. New mercies as this day begins, because in light of this verse, we are neophytes in loving well. 3. Our Father’s commitment to finish making us like you (Phil.1:6).
Only you love like this, Jesus. Having born our sin on the cross, you now bear and forbear with us all the way into the Day of our perfect Christlikeness. You know the worst about us, and you still love us. You believe the best about us, because you’ve given the best to us—your image, as our Creator; your righteousness, as our Savior; your indwelling Spirit, as the first-fruits and guarantee of our perfect forever. Hallelujah, and thank you.
Jesus, you know the relationships, stories, and contexts where we feel like the biggest love-failures. You also know our confusion, fear, traumas, and reluctance to risk loving certain people like this. So we fix our eyes on you, and NOT this verse. In ways beyond all we can ask or imagine, love through us to your glory, Jesus. So Very Amen.
