LOVE’S ENDURANCE

…endureth all things. Love never fails – 1 Corinthians 13:7d, 8

…Never looks back, but keeps going to the end… – 1 Corinthians 13:7d (Message)

Love endures all things. Love perseveres. Love is painstaking. This speaks of being patient in the face of pressure or suffering. Love doesn’t quit. Love never looks for an excuse to quit. Love counts the cost and pays the prize, however high. Love hangs in there and keeps waiting and trying. Love – like a soldier – never abandons the post. Love maintains position, come rain, sunshine, or hailstone! Love keeps covenant and stands firm in the face of adversity. Love puts up with what may put others off.

Love endures difficulty, discomfort and danger with commitment and steadfastness. Love gets going when the going gets tough. Israel constantly retreated into rebellion and idolatry; yet God’s love kept inviting them back – never gave up on them! Out loving Father still stands at the door knocking, no matter how many times we have abused or ignored Him. God is love. He doesn’t fall in or out of love.

God’s love in Christ has endured. Christ-like love does not stop in the face of difficulties. Love’s quality becomes evident when it must endure trials. Human love in itself is limited and undependable, but when God’s love fills us, it becomes unstoppable and unquenchable. God’s love endures reproach and shame; it overcomes evil with good: Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good (Rom.12:21). God’s Word encourages Christians to persevere in love for others. We should tap into the revelation of the length and depth of Christ’s love as the standard for ours (1 Jh.5:2-5).

When we feel like giving up, this is what to remember: God’s love is not just depicted in Christ's life for us to emulate, but has been shed right into our own lives and relationships as followers of Christ (Rom.5:5). Our Lord on this basis commands us to love one another as God has loved us: unselfishly, kindly, patiently and persistently. We can never be disappointed when we are faithful in loving with Christ’s love.