We are on the fourth of six posts as we continue to digest 1 Corinthians 13. There is so much in this chapter that we will only grace the surface of, but hopefully we will dig enough to entice you to read it with fresh eyes and help you go deeper on your own.

Atlantic Starr oozes romance with “Always”, one of the 80’s top wedding songs. Bon Jovi melts your heart with “Always”. Whitney Houston belts out “I Will Always Love You”.

Can you think of some of your favorite power ballads?

So many of the lyrics proclaim unending love, always and forever. It is engrained in us from a young age how eros, romantic, love is the love to pursue and hope for. We swoon and cling to the thought of such a deep, undying love between two people. We think we are less than if we do not find Eros so easily in life.

Yet the only – ONLY – true always and forever love is Agape… God’s unconditional, sacrificial, abundant love!

1 Corinthians 13:6-7 (NIV) says,

“Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

‭‭Always! Not just when the mood hits or on special occasions… ALWAYS!

The sentiment from the songs are lovely and hopeful, yet the reality simply cannot be achieved. True love comes from God – our Creator, our Defender, our Provider, our Father.

I find encouragement and motivation in verse 7 from The Passion Translation,

Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up.

Love never stops loving.

Find comfort in knowing we are loved by Love and that love never stops.