“Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Cor. 13:13
Lord Jesus, this life-defining verse reminds me of an image that show my age. On the same stage I watched The Beatles perform live in 1964, plate-spinning artists would perform. It was the Ed Sullivan Show—a standard for our family. I know John, Paul, George, and Ringo, but not any “plate-spinner’s” name. But my own version of plate-spinning began to define my life, eventually to the point of burnout.
10,000 thanks for slowing me down and centering my heart. I don’t want to spend any more time in the drivenness of “muchness and many-ness.” Rather, I want to invest the rest of my days in these three abiding realities: Faith, Hope, and Love.
Faith isn’t the size of our spiritual muscle; it’s a life knowing you, our Father, and the Holy Spirit, through the riches of grace. The more intimately we know, love, and trust you, the less we’ll be tempted to define life by how busy we are, what people think of us, how much we own, how well we perform… and the list goes on.
Hope is having our hearts increasingly filled with every good thing you’ve won for us, Jesus. It’s being so certain (and enthralled) about our coming life in the new heaven and new earth that we’ll invest the rest of our days loving mercy, working for justice, and walking humbly with you (Micah 6:8).
Love is defined and measured by your love for us, Jesus—which is, quite honestly, unmeasurable and unparalleled. Loving others as you love us marks us as your disciples more than anything else (John 13:34-35). It’s that simple, profound, and daily. Constantly astonish, humble, and free us by your love. The heck with plate-spinning. So Very Amen.