My View on 1 Corinthians 13 and Some Other Stuff.....

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong-doing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

I've been focussing on these verses for a little over a year now. Every time I read it, God reveals a little more about His love for us. A clear - perfect - unconditional love for His children. With every tear we cry, we are loved. Every sin we commit and turn back to God for guidance, He never backs away.
Taking this to the next level we can refer to Acts 7:56 - Stephen staring at stones within the hands of those about to throw them...looks up and shares the love of Christ with them. Displaying a reflection of Christ by sharing how much we mean as to have Christ, Himself stand on our behalf! There to pick us up when we fall. To stand as a father should.
Are we recognizing this love? Does it clash with our everyday lifestyle? Do we take the few seconds a day to see and thank Him for what we have?
Every so often, I have to really stop and ask myself these questions. I love that about the Holy Spirit!! I thank God for such a blessing!

1 Corinthians 13:11-12

"When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known."

- Yes, we have somewhat given up our childish ways. Do we still act like children at times? We all do. The main question I ask myself throughout these 2 verses....Do I love God as a small child love, depend, trust and look up to their parent?

I was told once by one of my friends, "Patti, you have a child-like faith." I was worried as if it were a bad thing, but I understood that completely as I reflected more on what my friend was trying to say.

Faith like a child; nothing is more beautiful than seeing a child comforted by a parent who genuinely cares and unconditionally loves them. As a child we believe that they will always be there. Everything new, we see it with our parents.

We've all had that one favorite toy we went nuts over when we were little. I see it now in the faces of my nephews. They are amazed at these new things. They run to their mom or dad and yell...not talk, but yell,"MOM...DAD....LOOK!!...LOOK AT THIS!!"

- When I see God's work in my life and remember what a love He has for me, it makes me strive to live for Him. To be blessed enough that I want to reflect Christ!! With every accomplishment and every day I get to enjoy spending time with my Father and Creator.... I run and I scream, "LOOK DAD...LOOK AT WHAT YOU DID!!! LOOK AT THIS...!!" and Praise Him for it all.

1 Corinthians 13:13

"So, now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

Amen!!