That’s One Huge Light Bulb! March 12th, 2014 James Ryle “He that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is Love.” 1 John 4:8 (KJV) The Bible tells us God is love. The Bible also tells us that love is patient. Doesn’t it stand to reason, therefore, that God is patient? Of course! “Let there be Light; a Revelation of My Love!” With this thought in mind, I believe that when the Apostle Paul wrote 1st Corinthians 13, he was not attempting to give us a definition of Love; rather, he was in fact giving us an inspired description of God Himself! The following is my paraphrase of that most famous passage of Scripture, inserting God in the place of the word love. Brace yourself — this is a genuine light bulb moment. You are about to see what God, who is Love, is really like. “God is always patient; He waits, and waits, and waits; and does not grow anxious or hurried. God is always gracious and kind. Always. God does not behave indecently, or inappropriately. There is nothing He would ever say or do, that would intentionally embarrass or humiliate us. Never. “God is never envious, insolent, or rude. He is not sarcastic in His speech, cutting in His wit, nor condemning in His tone. God is not puffed up, nor conceited. He does not cherish inflated ideas of His own importance. He does not walk about heaven staring at Himself in mirrors. “God does not behave in an unseemly manner in any situation, or towards anybody. He is never vulgar nor haughty. God does not pursue His own things; He does not seek, nor demand His own way. God is not irritable or touchy. He is not easily annoyed, nor quickly provoked. He is not resentful. “God hardly notices when He is wronged, and doesn’t even take it much into account when it occurs. He certainly does not keep a personal record of petty offenses; a scorecard of all the times others have tried to tick Him off. “God does not impute evil on anybody. He doesn’t even think evil; such things do not enter His mind. God is never glad with sin, but always glad to side with truth. He is never glad about injustice of any kind, and He sings the loudest whenever the truth wins. “God quietly covers all things that could otherwise bring shame and dishonor to your life, and He graciously bears you up under everything that tries to put you down. God believes the best about you at all times and in all things, and He will never give up on you. Never. His hope is unlimited, His love is unfailing, His commitment is unflagging, and His power is unending — no matter what the circumstances of your life may be, you will find Him there at your side…and on your side. He will always stand His ground defending you, no matter what it cost Him. Dear friend, God loves you. He not only loves you in what you are facing, but He will also love you through it. And in the end, you will love Him for it.” (this is my paraphrase from a compilation of several translations of I Corinthians 13:4-6) Read through this a few more times; slowly, prayerfully, and out loud. Somewhere in the process its gonna hit you — and you’re gonna say, “That is one huge Light Bulb!” ... A Rylism...
Posted on: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 14:04:02 +0000
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