And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)
I hope you will take the time to read the New International Version of this passage that is sometimes referred to as the “Love” chapter. Its used at weddings and funerals and is one of the most profound passages of scripture in the bible.
My focus for today is the final portion. As we reflect on 2020 and move swiftly into 2021 this is a time when we could lament all that has happened, but we won’t. I don’t need to remind you of all the loss that has taken place in 2020. It is pretty obvious. What I’d like you to ponder is what remains.
Yes, there have been challenges and there will be more to come. The year has started with violence in the U.S. Capital and Covid 19 continues to rage on throughout the country, but in spite of it all we still have much to be thankful for.
The passage of scripture indicates that these three remain: Faith, Hope and Love. Biblical scholars have mentioned that these three are placed in different order depending on the circumstances. The Church at Thessalonica struggled with hope, so the order was Faith, Love and Hope. The Church at Corinth had many issues and the members lacked love for one another, so the order was Faith, Hope and Love. Lord knows we need Love in these difficult times. My friends the greatest of these is Love.
James Calhoun
(Synopsis of a sermon by Dr. Frank A. Thomas, Professor of Preaching at Christian Theological Seminary, Indianapolis, Indiana)
What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of. What the world needs now is love, sweet love. No not just for some, but for everyone.
Lord, we don’t need another mountain
There are mountains and hillsides enough to climb. There are oceans and rivers enough to cross. Enough to last ’til the end of time.
What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of. What the world needs now is love, sweet love. No, not just for some, but for everyone.