LOVE                  

  In the 12th chapter of I Corinthians, Paul describes the body 
and relates to how the body functions.  Each part doing its part 
and duty. Then he states that we are the body of Christ and each 
of us has gifts which are part of the body. As with the physical 
body something keeps the parts together functioning as one. In  
the last statement he says;                                                 
          
      "And now I will show you the most excellent way."

  Here I believe Paul is speaking of the very catalyst that holds 
this mystical body together and allows it to function as one.  
For in the beginning of the 13th chapter he denotes that none of 
the gifts of which hi is speaking is anything with out it.  What 
is this catalyst that holds the body of Christ together and 
allows it to function?  May we prayerfully consider it as we look 
at Paul's description,

       I Corinthians 13:4--8        

       "Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy,    
       it does not boast, it is not proud, it is not
       self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no   
       record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but
       rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always
       always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."

  Quite a list isn't it?  It is also most interesting to turn to 
Gal 5:19 and compare this list to the acts of the flesh and 
sinful nature.  
  Well, lets see about love.  
	Love doesn't loose its patience.  When a brother or 
sister in the Lord does something that disturbs us, it is this 
patience that can often prevents us from becoming angry and doing 
things we regret later.  
	Love looks for ways to be kind and helpful.  It causes us 
to go out of our way to help those who need help.  
	Love doesn't envy.  What does this do to the idea of 
keeping up with the Jones's?  
	Love is not proud.  In a simple way, it allows us to 
praise others when the norm is to claim that praise for 
ourselves.  
	Love is not selfseeking.  A person who has it is not 
interested in his own importance.  
	Love is not easily angered.  Love demonstrates one of its 
finest qualities when we are provoked.  
	Love keeps no record of wrongs.  Here is the purest form 
of true forgiveness. How often do we say we forgive someone only 
to run the incident by many times in our minds and rekindle the 
bitterness.  
	Love doesn't delight in evil.  It does not get pleasure 
in evil reports on what a fellow Christian may be doing, neither 
does it gloat over the wickedness of others.  
	Love rejoices with the truth. How happy indeed it is when 
the truth prevails.  
	Love always protects, always hopes, always perseveres.  
We could say this is almost a "fatherly approach" and in many 
ways it is because the very source of love is God the Father.  
	Lastly, love never fails.  Love can no more fail than can 
its sources, God and Jesus.

  Well there it is, a very brief idea what true love really is.  
What can all this mean to us?  How much am I showing true love to 
the world and lost?  How is this love and its principles working 
in my home? These are the questions we need to ask ourselves.  
Then we need to confess our shortcomings to God and ask Him to 
help us be more aware of the love in our hearts. That love Jesus 
prayed we might have. 
    
     John 17:26;  
    
    "......in order that the love you have for me may 
    be in them and I in them"

  Oh, God, that this Love might shine through in our actions 
every day to a lost and needy world.