Love Never Fails
(1 Corinthians 13:8)

I arose early hungry for my personal quiet time. I love traveling and our vacation proved to be full of rest and renewal, but every moment was filled with people. Coming from me that is an odd statement because I love being with people. Greg left the trailer to go down to the public showers. A sweet friend offered her trailer at Elim Christian lodge in Canada to us for a trip. What a gift! The lush green surroundings and lake provided eye catching moments that gave my heart a lift. I am a country girl at heart and this setting fed my soul. The kids were asleep so I nestled into the couch with my Bible and a cup of chai tea.

A few months back, the LORD revealed to me that my Bible study time had become perfunctory. I now begin my time by simply praying, "LORD, help me to draw into Your presence and know You are real as I read Your Word." In my daily reading, I was to be in Mark, but somehow without noticing I began reading in 1 Corinthians. Chapter 11 and 12 so captured my attention that I began chapter 13 without even realizing I was not in the gospels. And then I read, "Love never fails." In an instant, I was stopped. What? Really? "Love never fails!" How did I not catch this before? Suddenly, streams flowed from my eyes as I realized the power of God's love. As a fresh look at His love penetrated this ole' heart of mine.

I began to visualize various moments that I faced in the last six months and prayed "Love never fails" on each situation. First, my thoughts carried me to my marriage. How many times have I allowed something other than love to try to fix, heal, or work on my relationship with my Greg. Father, You are love. Your love never fails! Write love on my marriage! Then I thought of my parenting to two teens and how quickly I am to preach or teach when they just need a listening ear. Father, You are love. Your love never fails! Write love on my parenting! Then the LORD reminded me of two beloved friends coming to tell me that their teenage children were pregnant. I felt so helpless in what I could give. Father, You are love. Your love never fails! Write love on my friends and their families! Then I remembered various circumstances that dealt with change at my church and how a simple change will cause brothers and sisters to fight. Father, You are love. Your love never fails! Write love on my church! My heart wrenched as I remembered the face of someone I spent six months discipling to only see that she chose to walk back into a lifestyle that did not honor the LORD. Father, You are love. Your love never fails! Write love on the disciples You give me and let love be evident on my face and in my actions! In brokenness, I thought of our country and the choices that are taking place on various levels that grieve God. Father, You are love. Your love never fails! Write love on my nation, especially in the dark hidden places!

Beloved, do we really understand that love never fails? I must confess to you that I do not grasp it fully and I have not lived it out as I should. But, I sure want it to be evident and real in me. Jesus' love covered every sin that has been and ever will be. Who am I to not love? The thing that hit me the most about this particular moment with the LORD was that the places I lack the most love tended to be with other believers or perceived believers. I had to confess that I lacked love with the ones the LORD calls my siblings.

Beloved, love never fails! Where does it need to be written in your life today? Beg God for love to be written on your face, life and ministry.

Simply, Tara