God Is Love

Over the past few days, we’ve been reflecting on Paul’s beautiful passage on love in 1 Corinthians 13. Today, we continue that theme.

Leonard Sweet tells the story of a traveling salesman who spent much of his time on the road, battling loneliness. One year, his young daughter gave him a special gift to help with his homesickness. It was a stuffed toy penguin—about five inches tall—with black beady eyes, a red bow tie, and orange feet. Attached to its left wing was a small wooden sign, hand-painted with the words: “I Love My Daddy!”

The salesman immediately placed it in a place of honor on his hotel room dresser. Later, as he was going through customs at Kennedy Airport in New York, an agent pulled the penguin from his suitcase. Holding it up, the agent chuckled and said, “It’s a good thing we don’t charge a tax on love, or buddy, you’d owe a fortune!”

When we think about the cross and God’s love for us in Christ, it really is a good thing that love isn’t taxed—because we could never afford to pay.

If there’s one thing the incarnation of Jesus shows us, it is this: God is love.

May we never take that love for granted. And as we have received, so may we give.

Let us pray: Holy God, we thank You for Your love—self-giving, sacrificial love. May this love wash over us today and sink deep into our hearts and minds. And as we come to know Your love for us, empower us to share it with a world desperately in need. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.