![[Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Take hold of the plumbline immediately](https://thenewsguru.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Screenshot_20211202-092925.png)
By Oke Chinye
Read: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Meditation verse:
![[Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Take hold of the plumbline immediately](https://thenewsguru.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Screenshot_20211202-092925-120x86.png)
“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13).
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. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever” -1 Corinthians 13:4-8, NLT.
Genuine love is much more than a feeling, it is an action. It is a decision we make to do good to someone even though we do not feel good towards that person. Jesus did not say ‘like your enemies’, He said ‘love your enemies’. Even when you dislike someone, you are commanded to love them. As Christians, loving others is a command, not an option. “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).
The knowledge that ‘love’ is a decision we make is life transforming. We can separate how we feel from what we decide or choose to do. I can love someone I don’t necessarily like. I can do something or act towards that person in a certain way because I know it is what God expects of me as His child even if I don’t feel ‘lovey-dovey’ doing it.’ And guess what, when you keep acting in love towards somebody, your emotions begin to line up with your actions.
Our thoughts affect our emotions, our emotions affect our actions, and our actions again affect our thoughts. Go ahead and try it, keep acting in love towards that spouse, neighbour, or colleague that you think you cannot stand and see if your feelings towards them would not change. “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love”. Choose the more excellent way this year.
IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Dcns Oke Chinye, Founder of The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM).
For Prayers and Counseling email [email protected]
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