Love Never Gives Up - Ken Barnes
Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (I Corinthians 13:7 NLT)
In this portion of scripture, at the very end of this list of the characteristics of love, the Bible reveals to us the enduring aspect of love. Without love it is very difficult, maybe impossible, to stand through the trials that all believers experience.
Some of you reading this devotional are so emotionally down that you have a hard time even praying. You want to have hope and faith, but no matter how hard you try, it is just not there. You look around you at a world that is swirling around you that you have no ability to control. And when you cry out in your distress, God seems strangely quiet.
Normally, in these types of situations, we Christians ask the Lord for one of two things. We plead for Him to deliver us and take us out of these situations. And sometimes he does but not always. Or we ask Him for perseverance, to just get us through our difficulties. Maybe in these circumstances we should pray for more love. What drove Jesus to endure the cross? It was love for His Father and love for you and me. As love increases in our hearts so will hope, faith, and endurance, because they are part of what love is. Obtaining these Christian graces as a by-product of His love will speak to us and to all who observe; It is not about our capacity to keep ourselves, but His ability to keep us. We get sustained in our time of need, love has grown in our hearts, and most importantly, God gets the glory. Our sovereign Lord doesn’t waste any of our tears.
Ken and his wife Sharon have two daughters and five grandchildren. Contact
