Chronicles of Love, Part XII
"...ALWAYS HOPES, ALWAYS PERSEVERES...
What does this have to do with Love "always hoping," and "always persevering," you ask? ...
Nothing. Unless by some strange coincidence you misspell perseveres as "preserves," which I've heard is easy to do...but I wouldn't know about that.
I made the conscientious decision to combine the two words, "hopes" and "perseveres," into one blog, not because I was trying to hit the number 13 perfectly, but because their is a brutal correlation and a shocking "closer" to the story.
When we think of the word "perseveres" (man, am I getting tire of typing that) we often think of "Pilgrim" from Pilgrim's Progress, trudging up the hill, sweat on his brow, dirt on his hands and face, clothes torn, moaning in agony, and dealing with the pressures of the Christian walk in the hopes that there is light at the end of the tunnel. (Would it be fair at this point for me to ask you if this is what YOUR Christian journey is like?...I hope not.)
But, the truth is that this word does not necessarily invoke such physical ailments in its originally scripted context. The better word could be found in the older King James texts: "endure" It was defined by most scholars as the ability to outlast the circumstances BRAVELY and (believe it or not) CALMLY!
See where I'm going with this? I would challenge you to see endurance and perseverance with bravery and calm, knowing that this can only be accomplished with the benefit of HOPE as the dominant trait in your routine and in your treatment of those around you. Without hope, perseverance is not handled bravely. Without hope, endurance is as painful for those enduring as it is for onlookers awaiting for you to reach your final destination! The love of Christ was not meant to be so painful, but victorious!
Andrew Peterson wrote a song called, "No More Faith." He takes the "three things" that "remain" at the end of this section of First Corinthians and notes that Paul says Love is the greatest, possibly because (here's the shocker:) it's the only one that will last! One day, faith will no longer be required! Hope will no longer be the substance of our perseverance! We will experience true LOVE as God intended, and it will be all that will remain!
Til then, how's your level of "HOPE" doing?
What does this have to do with Love "always hoping," and "always persevering," you ask? ...
Nothing. Unless by some strange coincidence you misspell perseveres as "preserves," which I've heard is easy to do...but I wouldn't know about that.
I made the conscientious decision to combine the two words, "hopes" and "perseveres," into one blog, not because I was trying to hit the number 13 perfectly, but because their is a brutal correlation and a shocking "closer" to the story.
When we think of the word "perseveres" (man, am I getting tire of typing that) we often think of "Pilgrim" from Pilgrim's Progress, trudging up the hill, sweat on his brow, dirt on his hands and face, clothes torn, moaning in agony, and dealing with the pressures of the Christian walk in the hopes that there is light at the end of the tunnel. (Would it be fair at this point for me to ask you if this is what YOUR Christian journey is like?...I hope not.)
But, the truth is that this word does not necessarily invoke such physical ailments in its originally scripted context. The better word could be found in the older King James texts: "endure" It was defined by most scholars as the ability to outlast the circumstances BRAVELY and (believe it or not) CALMLY!
See where I'm going with this? I would challenge you to see endurance and perseverance with bravery and calm, knowing that this can only be accomplished with the benefit of HOPE as the dominant trait in your routine and in your treatment of those around you. Without hope, perseverance is not handled bravely. Without hope, endurance is as painful for those enduring as it is for onlookers awaiting for you to reach your final destination! The love of Christ was not meant to be so painful, but victorious!
Andrew Peterson wrote a song called, "No More Faith." He takes the "three things" that "remain" at the end of this section of First Corinthians and notes that Paul says Love is the greatest, possibly because (here's the shocker:) it's the only one that will last! One day, faith will no longer be required! Hope will no longer be the substance of our perseverance! We will experience true LOVE as God intended, and it will be all that will remain!
Til then, how's your level of "HOPE" doing?
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