“When we input into our souls the coordinates of Christ’s love, we always find the most excellent way!”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – February 9, 2022
And yet I will show you the most excellent way. 1 Corinthians 12:31
Waze, Google and Apple all compute real-time for the best way to navigate traffic and trips. Depending on the time of day, car wrecks or construction, yesterday’s best route may be today’s worst. But not when we traffic in the ways of God…His GPS, the wisdom of the Bible and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, are 100% constant. Life fluctuates daily, thus it’s tempting to take an alternative decision route, i.e., rushing past the Lord, instead of waiting on the Lord. But, when we input into our souls the coordinates of Christ’s love, we always find the most excellent way!
In the middle of his discussion on the importance of gifts to be used for Christ and His church, the apostle sandwiches in the most excellent way…the motivation of love in serving others. It’s like Paul wanted to temper a religious zeal that would use God’s gifts for personal purposes rather than for Kingdom purposes. Gifts are important, but more importantly is why gifts are used (for selfish or godly ambition) and how gifts are used (in the power of the Spirit or in the flesh). A wise warning, so familiarity with the faith doesn’t result in unloving, powerless living.
A.W. Tozer, the prophetic pastor of prayer and study, who served in the 1940’s at a CMA church in Chicago, gives a profound explanation of the breadth and depth of God’s love:
From God’s other known attributes, we may learn much about His love. We can know, for instance, that because God is self-existent, His love had no beginning; because He is eternal, His love can have no end; because He is infinite, it has no limit; because He is holy, it is the quintessence of all spotless purity; because He is immense, His love is an incomprehensibly vast, bottomless, shoreless sea before which we kneel in joyful silence and from which the loftiest eloquence retreats confused and abashed.
To borrow from Tozer’s imagery, wise are we to swim in the infinite, pure sea of God’s love. And just in case we are unsure, the Lord’s servant Paul brings into sharp focus how Christ’s love is evident in the life of His followers. Love has a patience that responds with empathy instead of reacting in anger. Love has a depth of forgiveness that does not hold grudges or keep a record of wrongs. Does your life traffic in the most excellent way of love or are you stuck in a cul-de-sac of anger or have you taken a wrong turn onto a highway of foolishness? The most excellent way of love keeps lust in check, greed on the fringes and pride on the peripheral. Seek God’s gifts for His glory, while in the process learning how to love others in the Lord’s most excellent ways!
“Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 14:1).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, show me the most excellent way of love and lead me by your Spirit to walk in love, through Christ’s love and in Jesus’ name, amen.
Application
How has the Lord gifted me? And, how can I exercise my gift with love?
Related Reading
Psalm 131:2; Proverbs 10:12; Matthew 5:22; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Worship Resource
Pray On by Babbie Mason: Love is the Most Excellent Way
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