09 August 2006

All You Need is Love

1 Corinthians 13

Ok, I'll admit it. I like the Beatles, so the title of this piece is biased. But that's alright with me.

John Lennon was correct when he wrote those lyrics. They are some of the most profound, and yet blatantly obvious words, ever spoken. And probably somewhat misunderstood. Because in today's society, love is anything but Love. Love has been used to express feelings ("I love music") and the status of a relationship ("We're in Love"). Love is seen as something that happens. One little change, and the Love is gone. But that's not how it works.

In this chapter, Paul reminds of the characteristics of Love. Love is what makes spiritual matters important. Love is perfect. Love never fails. Love does not anger easily (this, however, is not to say that Love does not anger). In short, Love is more important than anything else.

Why is this? It is because all Love comes from God. The Love of God, shown on the Cross at Calvary, is obviously his gift to us. But so is the Love for God, family, and friends.

But there's another reason. A deeper one. Love is so much more than just a gift from God, but as we learn in 1 John 4:7-21, God IS Love.

Rock on.