ULTIMATE GIFT

 
THE ULTIMATE GIFT


Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it
is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily
angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always
hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

What is love? Ask 100 people and you'll get 100 different examples.
You will probably get at least 10-20 definitions - affection,
devotion, attraction, caring, etc; Countless songs, books, movies,
poems, writings, and any other form of human communication address
love. Of course there are different kinds of love: the love between 2
people that are attracted to each other as partners, the love of
families, the love of people, places, things and activities that we
deem important in life. All these definitions and examples describe
love as a feeling, but the verse above describes love as an object.
According to the Bible, love has characteristics. Think about who or
what you love. How many of these characteristics fit the love you
experience? Chances are, you haven't experienced all of the above with
any relationship. Husbands and wives, parents and children, any 2
people or group have experienced a breakdown in one or more of these
many times.

You may get impatient with your spouse as you wait for them to get
ready to go out. You may, in the heat of an argument bring up
something that your parent or child did years ago that still hurts.
And, how many times is our love conditional? But there is one
situation where love meets all these criteria, and more. "For God so
loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John
3:16.) God doesn't just love those who love him - he loves the whole
world! Everlasting life awaits those who believe in His Son. He's
reaching out to all of us, promising the ultimate gift to those who
love him back. Will you?

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