We don't yet see things clearly. We're
squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the
weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as
clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us! But for right
now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that
consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And
the best of the three is love. (1 Corinthians 13:12, 13 MSG)
Paul was writing to the
church in Corinth to encourage them in their struggles and hardships. In these
verses Paul writes that while we are doing life we don't always see or know the
answers to our "why or how or when or who" questions. When we stand before
God we will have the answers, but for now Paul tells us to hang onto our faith,
hope and love.
Our faith is in God who was, is
and always will be with us. This faith does not promise us a trouble free life,
rather is promises us we will always have someone to lean in good times and
when things get rough. Our hope is in the new life and restored relationship we
have through Jesus Christ. Peter tells us in 1 Peter 3 to "always being
prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope
that is in you." We have a hope to share with other and a faith that
anchors our trust in God. Then we have love - in The Message it says "love
extravagantly." Paul tells us of the three: faith, hope and love, that
love is the best. Two questions come to mind here: What does it look like to
love extravagantly? and How do we know love is best? The answer to the first is
what we will be exploring today and the answer to the second is 1) Paul's
writing were inspired by God and 2) it is a reflection of what Jesus taught
when ask the question about the greatest commandment.
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