Category: Devotions

The Apostle Paul, writer of this book of 1 Corinthians, was a living example of this biblical trait of charity. He wrote in 2 Corinthians the living testimony of God’s love in him enabling him to endure great afflictions for the gospel. He testified in 2 Corinthians 11:24-27 “Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” Again he testified before his martyrdom in 2 Timothy.

The action word “to endure” consists of the preposition “under” and the verb “to remain”. “To remain under” is to persevere, to endure, to bear up under. It describes the biblical grace to suffer a load of miseries, adversities, persecutions or provocations with faith. It is a word of godly response. It is a military term that describes the holding of a position at all costs (MacArthur). God’s love does not buckle whatever the circumstances.

To possess such love that “hopeth all things”, it must begin with a good grounding of knowing who our God is, not only in terms of His love but also of His infinite power and His wisdom. It tells us that our God supplies His inexhaustible power to turn around every hopeless situation. Such is the power of God’s love. It enables us to live above our afflictions and our sorrows. It gives strength and comfort to the bereaved that they will see their loved ones in the Lord again one day. It enables God’s children not to give up sharing the gospel with their unbelieving loved ones. It enables the terminally ill to say I know my Redeemer lives and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. It is as if he is able to see through a keyhole the glory of eternity which he will enter when his life ends. It enables us to bury our dead with the expectation that when Christ shall come again, we shall rise again because they that are alive shall be caught up with the Lord in the air.

To “hope” is to place trust in. Biblical hope has the idea of confidence, optimism and earnest expectation. Even when faith is shaken and trust is broken, biblical love continues to hope. Even in betrayal, love holds on tightly to hope. Such love knows no dead end. Such love always sees light at the end of the tunnel. Such love is never hopeless but always hopeful. It is because this love emanates from an inexhaustible source that supplies it. It is the love that is rooted in a God that is infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His love.

Truly, we cannot read hearts and we must admit that we cannot have full knowledge to assess others’ intentions. Therefore, to jump to conclusion and become suspicious of other’s motive would surely mean that we can be wrong. Biblical love overcomes the tendency to look at others in a bad light and gives the right hand of trust. This is God’s grace emanating in the believer’s life. It is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Such charity inspires and encourages reciprocity. It does not engender the abuse of this privilege. Rather it enhances relationships.

Biblical love is not distrustful but is fully trusting. Such a love is not sceptical, doubtful or suspicious but gives the other person the benefit of the doubt. Charity assumes the best motive and therefore gives the unbridled trust. We cannot read motives and do not profess we can. Therefore, charity assumes the others we come in contact with have good intentions. You may ask, isn’t this very gullible? It is not! But it is an approach that builds trust. The flip side of this Christian grace would be being scornful and cynical. It builds distrust and suspicion.

Remember in Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian arrived at a fire place in a house where he saw a man pouring water constantly on the fire but it does not extinguish? He was brought to the back of the fire place in another room. There he saw a man pouring oil to keep the flickering fire aflame. The interpreter explained to Christian that the man pouring oil is Jesus Christ. He is the one that pours the oil of grace to keep the heart of faith aflame always even though Satan, the man in front of the fire place keeps pouring water. Jesus is at the back of the fire place, He is apparently not visible to us in our affliction, but He is there sustaining us by His grace!