“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, parse, or paraphrase this one verse from your Word, it makes us immediately grateful for at least three things: 1. New mercies as this day begins (and continues). 2. Abba, Father’s commitment to finish his work in us, making us like you (Phil. 1:6). 3. Lastly, the height, depth, width, and breadth of your incomparable love for us (Eph.3:18).
For only you love like this, Jesus. And it’s the way you love us right now, and the way you are committed to loving others through us. Having born our sin on the cross, you now bear and forbear all the ways we love poorly. 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 righteousness, indwelling Spirit, and the guarantee one Day we will be like you. Hallelujah, and thank you.
In view of this one verse, 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 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.
