Robert has been taking us through a series in 2nd Corinthians recently. Today we were in the second half of chapter twelve, and these verses really stood out to me
Now I am coming to you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you. I don’t want what you have–I want you. After all, children don’t provide for their parents. Rather, parents provide for their children. I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me. – 2nd Corinthians 12:14-15
In spite of the way the Corinthians treated Paul, even looking down on him and inferior, he kept in praying for them, writing to them and visiting them, showing boundless grace and ultimately exemplifying the love of God, as set out in the first epistle to the Corinthians
If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. 4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 8 Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! – 1 Corinthians 13:2-8
May this selfless love of God impact upon our hearts deeply, causing us to firstly love God and also, like Paul, to show selfless love towards others.