Lovelessness and nothingness, for us and God

Most of us are familiar with 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (perhaps too familiar):

"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 which 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." 

This passage shows what is the most important value - to have love in our hearts - compassion, forgiveness, kindness, patience, humility, trust, hope, loyalty, perseverance, and so on (and see verses 4-8). So, Paul is telling us that love is the supreme value because it is the only value which gives all other values their worth and significance. Indeed, without love all which we value would be worthless and mean absolutely nothing. 

Of course, this passage is primarily focussing on us and our own spiritual condition - what we engage in and pursue, and how we should be correspondingly motivated by love as a source and foundation of all we value. However, it is just as important to apply this vision of love as a supreme source of value to God our father, and Christ our saviour. For without love of the kind which is immense, infinite, and so deep we cannot possibly fathom it, then all what God and Christ might be, would also be worthless and mean absolutely nothing - God's commands, prophecy, mystery, knowledge, faith, power, and even his sacrifice, would have no significance whatsoever, if God and Christ did not first love us. 

Let's meditate on the importance of God's love for a while, then, and understand better and digest more fully how God's love for us is over and above all things - and even all things which are also Godly - praise be!

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