Love Never Ends

Yesterday, we reflected on that beautiful passage about love, often read at weddings:

“Love is patient, love is kind, love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way.” – 1 Corinthians 13

For Paul, this was a prayer for the church and for all who seek to follow Jesus. That’s why I often read it at funerals and memorial services as well. When we look back on a person’s life and see this kind of love reflected in the way they lived, it takes on even deeper meaning.

I think of Jim Campbell, a member of our church who passed away a few years ago. He outlived three of his four adult children. He faced unimaginable tragedy. Yet, he never became bitter or angry. On the contrary, he remained a deeply generous person, giving freely to those in need.

I think of Norma King, who opened her home to teenagers and runaways recovering from addiction. These were young people her husband, Rex, worked with in his ministry. They often came to live with them for a time, finding refuge and grace.

Paul tells us this is the kind of love that never ends. It lives on in the lives we touch. It is the kind of love that makes life rich and worth living.

It is not indifferent to the cries of those in need. It withholds judgment against those who are different. It actively cares.

And it is the kind of love God has for each of us.

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.