Fifth, love always trusts or believes all things. I prefer the second translation because I think there’s this very close relationship between love and faith. Love is the product of faith and love can always believe whatever God says. Love accepts.

Sixth, love always hopes, or hopes all things. Love is optimistic. How pleasant it is to meet optimistic people, isn’t it? And what a burden it becomes when we’re with people who are always pessimistic. If you want to be popular, be optimistic. I can tell you for sure that the optimistic people are, generally speaking, the popular people in this world.

Seventh, love always perseveres. It endures all things, it never gives up.

To sum up those seven positive aspects of love I would say: love is infinitely strong. It can stand any pressure, face any situation, meet any challenge. It never gives up.

In Song of Solomon 8, verses 6 and 7, it says:

“...love is as strong as death... [That’s a tremendous statement. Because death is irresistible. There’s none of us can resist death. Love is irresistible.] Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away...” (NIV)

No matter what comes – love abides. Love is unconquerable. It’s irresistible. As a matter of fact, the death and resurrection of Jesus went one step further. It proved not merely that love is as strong as death; it proved that love is stronger than death. When love and death met, love won.

For reflection and prayer

Love is strong, even stronger than death.

a2:Td06,

Dear friend,

The apostle John says in 1 John 4:19:

“We love because He first loved us.” (NIV)

It takes God’s love to release our love. The evidence that we know God is that we demonstrate this kind of love. John says in 1 John 4:7-8:

“He who loves knows God. He who does not love, does not know God.” (NKJV)

That’s a very simple separation between the two kinds of persons.

Today we will focus on the relationship between love and the Law. Many people are perplexed or frightened by the thought of the Law. And yet the basic purpose of the Law is very simple. Love is the end of the Law (see Romans 13:10).

Let’s look at Matthew chapter 22, verses 35-40, where Jesus is questioned by an expert in the law of Moses, and how Jesus answered:

“One of them, an expert in the Law, tested Him with this question: 'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?' Jesus replied: ‘‘Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’” (NIV)

The two commandments ar

The Love Of God

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