Unconditional Genuine Love

1 Corinthians 13 “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
Christ’s love is unconditional and genuine, he paid the ultimate price for us and we should have the same type of love for our family and friends as well as our enemies. If we give and have this type of love we can have ultimate joy in our lives. We live in a world where most people expect something for anything they give, including their love. That is why there are so many divorces. That is why people break up friendships. That is why the world is in a mess. Until each and every one of us accepts God’s type of love, we will not be able to give it to others.

God Is Our Strength

“The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.” Psalm 145:14 NIV
The last two days have been a bit overwhelming for me and this verse along with Psalm 46:1 NIV “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” have upheld me.
Sometimes my life can seem to be a bit overwhelming. There seems to be so much to deal with and when it all seems to come at once or within a short time it especially gets to me.
What a promise there is in these verses. Our God, who knows everything about us, sees when we fall and will “uphold us”. He will also “lift up those who are bowed down”. He understands when we feel that there is just so much to cope with and He promises to help us survive the added things that seem to threaten to overwhelm us. The second verse promises that He will always be there in times of trouble and no matter what happens or how bad it, God will give us strength and refuge when our temptation is to just give up
God understands and He cares about each and every one of His children.