Love
Is
Patient
And Kind.
Scripture
1
Corinthians 13
4 Love is
patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or
rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it
keeps no record of being wronged.
7 Love never
gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through
every circumstance.
13 Three
things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest
of these is love.
Observation
Yesterday,
while serving as one of the chaplains at the hospital I had the
privilege of sitting with an elderly man whose life was about to
come to an end.
Because
of the trach tube in his throat he was no longer able to talk, but he
was able to communicate with me and another chaplain. He used a
writing pad and pen. As we sat with him we asked him if there was
anything that we could do for him.
He
pointed to a name and phone number on the writing pad. It was his
wife's name and phone number. Then he showed me a sentence on the pad
that he had already written out some time before we arrived.
Pointing
to the sentence and pointing to his wife's name and phone number he
let me know that he wanted me to repeat that sentence to his wife for
him when I called her. The sentence was this, “I love you very
much!”
I
left the room sad, but I also left filled with admiration. Admiration
for that man, who though decimated by his illness, wanted to still
express his love for his wife any way that he could.
It
is a reminder to me that I need to use the phrases - “I love you. I
am sorry. Will you forgive me?”. I need to use them often while I
still have the opportunity.
“Love
never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures
through every circumstance. Love is patient and kind. Love is not
jealous or boastful or proud or
rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it
keeps no record of being wronged.”
Application
I
will be kind and patient with Kathy.
How
are you treating your spouse?
Prayer
Heavenly
Father, I am reminded everyday that life is short. You tell me in
Your Word that my life is like breath, that it is like a vapor. Help
me to use my time wisely, expressing love to the people that You have
placed in my life. I know that “love one another” is a command
and not a suggestion. Help me to do a better job of loving people.
I
pray for my sister Bea today on her birthday. May Your face shine
brightly on her and her family today. Bless her, Lord. May she sense
Your love, Your power, and Your strength on her very special day!
Daily
Bible Reading: Numbers 24,25,26,27; 1 Corinthians 13
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