As we leave January and head into February, our hearts naturally turn to love. Valentine’s Day often takes center stage this month, but as followers of Christ, we know that love is far more than a romantic sentiment. Love is the foundation of our faith, the heartbeat of God’s relationship with us, and the calling that shapes how we live and serve in community with one another.
In 1 Corinthians 13, often called the “Love Chapter,” the Apostle Paul reminds us what love is and what it is not. Love is patient and kind. Love is not envious or boastful, arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful. Love rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. These words serve as a guide for how we can embody God’s love in our daily lives.
This February, I encourage each of us to reflect on how we are living out this Christ-centered love.
Love is the foundation of our faith, the heartbeat of God’s relationship with us, and the calling that shapes how we live and serve in community with one another.
Are there relationships in your life where patience and kindness are needed?
Is there a truth you need to speak or a burden you can help bear for someone else?
How can St Paul's grow in love for one another?
As we ponder these questions, let us also look ahead to the season of Lent, which begins just as we flip the calendar in March. Lent invites us into a time of reflection and renewal during this sacred season and an opportunity to draw closer to God as we journey with Christ toward the Cross and the empty tomb. This is a time to reflect the sacrificial, redeeming, and life-giving love of Jesus.
May this month be a time of spiritual growth and deepening relationships, both with God and with one another. Know that I am praying for you and am grateful for the ways God’s love shines through you as we serve together as the body of Christ.
Blessings and peace,
Joe Marshall, Pastor
Comentarios