“But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.” 1 Corinthians 12:31 (Read 1 Cor. 13)

After pointing out in 1 Corinthians 12 that the spiritual gifts God gives to those who trust in Jesus Christ and His cross for pardon and forgiveness are to be used for the benefit of the body of Christ, His church, made up of all who trust in Him, the Apostle Paul shows the believers in Corinth “a more excellent way” — how God would have us use the gifts and abilities He gives to us. Paul’s message in 1 Corinthians 13 is a powerful reminder that all our gifts, knowledge, and actions are to be exercised in conjunction with selfless love — the love of Christ!

We are prone to measuring our spiritual success by our gifts, like speaking in tongues, prophesying, or having great faith. But Paul says in verses 1-3, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.”

Paul isn’t devaluing these gifts; he’s elevating love to its rightful place. Without love as the motive, our most impressive acts of service or our deepest spiritual experiences are just noise. They’re empty gestures. Love isn’t just one virtue among many; it’s the very foundation of the Christian life.

After establishing love’s supremacy, Paul defines it. In verses 4-7, he gives us a comprehensive portrait of what love — specifically, agape love — is and isn’t. “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Love isn’t a passive emotion; it’s an active way to live one’s life.

This passage is a mirror. As we read through these characteristics, we should ask ourselves: Do I suffer long with others, or am I impatient with them and quick to anger? Am I kind, or do I gossip and speak harshly? Do I rejoice in the success of others, or do I envy others and take joy in their sins and failures? This description challenges us to live out the love of Christ daily in our interactions with family, friends, and strangers. It’s a high standard, but it’s the standard to which we’re called.

Before we can ever hope to live out this kind of love, we must first recognize its true source: Christ’s selfless love for us. It is only because of His atoning sacrifice on the cross that we can love at all. He didn’t just tell us to love; He showed us what it meant by willingly going to the cross to die in our place. He bore our sins, not because we were worthy, but because He is love. His patience with us, a patience that “suffers long,” is demonstrated in how He continues to bear with us, preserving us in the true and saving faith until the end of our lives.

The love we are called to embody is not a human invention. It is a divine reflection, a response to the unmerited love God first showed us in His Son. Our ability to “bear all things” and “endure all things” is a mirror of His perfect endurance for us on the cross and in our daily lives.

In the final verses of this chapter, Paul reminds us that everything else will eventually pass away, but love will last forever. Verses 8-10 state, “Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.”

Our earthly gifts and knowledge are temporary and incomplete, like a child’s understanding. “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known” (1 Cor. 13:11-12). Our current knowledge is like a fuzzy reflection in a mirror. But one day, when we are with the Lord, we will have perfect knowledge. In that moment, the temporary gifts will no longer be necessary.

Paul concludes with a powerful summary in verse 13: “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Faith and hope are essential to our spiritual journey, but love is the source. It is the very nature of God Himself (1 John 4:8). It moved Him to give His only-begotten Son to be our Savior. Let God’s love be the driving force behind everything we do, for without love, all we say and do are empty and will profit us nothing.

Grant that I know Your love, O Lord, and trust in You and Your gracious promises. Move me to reflect Your perfect love for me in my dealings with others, loving them as You have loved me and given Your Son to die in my stead, so that I might receive Your gift of pardon and life through faith in Christ Jesus. In His name, I pray. Amen.

[Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

“For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.” 1 Corinthians 12:12 (Read 1 Cor. 12)

The apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth to address a problem many churches still face today: division and a sense of spiritual superiority. The people were arguing over who had the “better” or more important spiritual gift. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul provides profound clarity on this issue by using a beautiful and simple analogy: the church is likened to a human body.

Paul begins by establishing the source of all gifts. He states, “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all” (1 Cor. 12:4-6). This teaching emphasizes that while our functions may be different, our power and purpose come from the one and only God. There is no room for competition when we are all serving the same Lord.

He then presents the central metaphor of the chapter. Just as a physical body is composed of many different parts, each with a unique purpose, so the Church, the body of Christ, is composed of many individual believers. Each of us is a vital member, given a specific gift for the benefit of the whole. Paul writes, “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’; nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you’” (1 Cor. 12:21). This reminds us that we are interdependent. No part is superior to another, and no one is so insignificant that they can be dismissed.

Perhaps the most comforting and challenging verse is 1 Corinthians 12:18: “But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.” This is a powerful reminder that our position and gifts in the church are not accidents. God, in His perfect wisdom and love, has placed us exactly where we need to be to fulfill our purpose. Our job is to embrace our role, whether it’s public and visible or quiet and unseen, with humility and gratitude.

The ultimate goal of this diverse body is not individual glory, but mutual love and care. Paul concludes the analogy by saying, “that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another” (1 Cor. 12:25). When one part of the body hurts, the whole body hurts. When one part rejoices, the whole body rejoices. Our connection to one another in the body of Christ is meant to be a deep bond of empathy and shared experience.

Today, reflect on your place in the body of Christ. How are you using your unique gift to build up others and serve the whole? Remember that you are a vital, intentional part of God’s design, and every single member is needed.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for placing me in the body of Christ through faith in Jesus and His atoning sacrifice on the cross. Help me to understand my role and use the gifts You have given me to build up my brothers and sisters. Remove any sense of pride or jealousy from my heart, and fill me with Your love and care for others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

[Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same manner, He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (Read 1 Cor. 11:17-34)

The Lord’s Supper, also known as Communion or the Eucharist, is a sacred practice observed by Christians worldwide. It is a time when we remember and partake of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, provides us with a profound understanding of its meaning and proper use.

In 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, Paul recounts the institution of the Lord’s Supper, which he “received from the Lord.” It was on the night when Jesus was betrayed. Jesus and His disciples were observing the Passover together and partaking of a sacrificial lamb to remember how God had spared His people from judgment and delivered them from bondage in Egypt. With the shadow of the cross looming, Jesus takes bread and breaks it, saying, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” He then takes the cup, declaring, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

The Lord’s Supper is, first and foremost, a powerful act of remembrance. We are to remember the broken body of our Savior and the shedding of His blood. The bread, broken and distributed, points to His body, broken on the cross for our sins. The cup of which Christians partake is “the new covenant” in His blood, a covenant of God established by the shedding of Christ’s blood on the cross, offering pardon and forgiveness to all who look to Christ in faith.

When we participate, we are not just going through a ritual; we are actively recalling the most significant event in human history and partaking by faith in Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross for the sins of the world. As Paul writes in verse 26, “as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” It is a visible proclamation of our faith in the finished work of Christ. It is a participation and appropriation by faith in Christ’s sacrifice for sin.

However, Paul also gives a stern warning about the improper use of the Lord’s Supper. In verses 27-29, he states that eating and drinking “in an unworthy manner” brings judgment. This does not mean that we must be perfect to partake; rather, it speaks to our attitudes and hearts. To partake unworthily is to do so without considering the just punishment for our sins that Christ endured on the cross. It is to approach the table of the Lord flippantly, without self-examination, and with an impenitent heart. Paul says, “Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” This self-examination is a vital part of remembering and appropriating Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and its benefits. It’s a moment to acknowledge and confess our sins and seek God’s mercy and forgiveness for the sake of Jesus’ innocent sufferings and death in our stead.

Paul’s words in verses 30-32 reveal the seriousness of this. He explains that some in the Corinthian church were “weak and sick,” and many had even died (spiritually and possibly physically) because they were not “discerning the Lord’s body.” Their careless and impenitent participation in the Lord’s Supper had spiritual and physical consequences.

Yet, there is hope in this warning. Paul says, “If we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.” This is an invitation to repent of our sinful ways and be reconciled to God and with one another through faith in Christ’s body, broken for us, and His blood, shed for us on the cross. The judgment he mentions is a “chastening by the Lord” so that we “may not be condemned with the world.” God disciplines those He loves. He desires that we turn from our sins and take comfort in the atoning sacrifice of His Son in our stead that we might be saved.

When you approach the Lord’s table, do so remembering the sacrifice of Christ Jesus to atone for your sins. Examining your hearts, confess your sins and be reconciled to God through faith in the Son. And, as you eat of the bread and drink of the cup, remember and proclaim His death until He comes again, taking comfort in God’s covenant promise of mercy and forgiveness in Christ Jesus, a covenant sealed and made sure by Christ’s shed blood.

Grant that I not partake of Your Supper unworthily, O Lord, but acknowledge my sinfulness, remember Your sacrifice for my sins, and partake of Your sacrifice in faith for forgiveness and life eternal. Amen.

[Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

“I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning — yes, more than those who watch for the morning. O Israel, hope in the LORD; for with the LORD there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption. And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.” Psalm 130:5-8

In the quiet corners of Old Testament Israel, a profound narrative of waiting and hope unfolds. For centuries, the people of God lived by the promises of a Messiah yet to come — a deliverer who would redeem them from sin and fulfill God’s eternal plan. Their hope was not a flimsy wish but a firm conviction, anchored in the unwavering character and written Word of God. Psalm 130 beautifully captures this patient, soul-deep anticipation.

The psalmist declares in Psalm 130, verses 5 and 6, “I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning — yes, more than those who watch for the morning.” This waiting is not passive; it is an active, focused expectation. The soul itself is poised, a sentinel on a watchtower looking for the dawn.

The hope is not blind; it is founded on the Word of God — the covenants, the prophecies, and the promises spoken to Abraham, David, and all of Israel. Just as a watchman eagerly awaits the first light of day after a long, dark night, so the faithful of old yearned for the breaking dawn of God’s promise.

This hope extends to all of Israel in verses 7 and 8: “O Israel, hope in the LORD; for with the LORD there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption. And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.” The psalmist points to the very core of God’s nature: His boundless mercy and His capacity for “abundant redemption.” The hope of Israel was in a God who would not just offer a measure of forgiveness, but a complete and overflowing rescue. This abundant redemption could only be accomplished by one person: the coming Messiah, the Anointed One.

Every sacrifice, every ritual, every prophetic word pointed forward to a future day when God would provide a final, perfect sacrifice and redeem His people. That hope was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He came not only to offer mercy, but to provide an abundant redemption — an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world and a salvation that covers every single sin and cleanses completely all who look to Him in faith. He is the one who redeems Israel — and all who are His — from all their iniquities.

The long night of waiting for a savior is over. The dawn has broken, and His light shines for all who will put their hope in Him. The same hope that sustained the Old Testament saints is now a present reality for all who look to Christ Jesus in faith. The long-promised Redeemer has come!

Heavenly Father, thank You for the hope that sustained Your people for generations. Thank You that, in Your perfect timing, You sent Your Son Jesus to be our abundant redemption. Help us to rest in the finished work of the cross and to live in the light of the salvation offered and given to us in Jesus’ name. Amen.

[Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

“Out of the depths I have cried to you, O LORD. Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. If you, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with you so that you may be feared.” Psalm 130:1-4

Psalm 130, a “Psalm of Ascent,” is a powerful cry of desperation and a beautiful expression of hope. The first verses set the stage for this journey from the depths of despair to the heights of God’s forgiveness: “Out of the depths I have cried to you, O LORD. Lord, hear my voice; Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.”

Have you ever felt like you were in the “depths”? This isn’t just a physical place, but a profound sense of spiritual, emotional, or mental low. It’s the feeling of being overwhelmed by circumstances, weighed down by our sin and guilt, or drowning in sorrow. It’s a place of isolation and hopelessness, where you feel disconnected from everything and everyone, even God.

The psalmist’s opening line, “Out of the depths I have cried to you, O LORD,” shows us the first and most crucial step in finding hope. Instead of wallowing in the depths, the psalmist turns his heart and voice toward God. He doesn’t pretend to be okay; he brings his raw, honest cry directly to the one who can truly help. He knows that his only rescue will come from above, from the God who rules over all things.

This isn’t a casual prayer, but a desperate plea. He follows up his cry with a heartfelt request: “Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.” The psalmist is not just asking God to listen, but to lean in and truly hear his every word. It’s a plea for God’s full attention, a deep longing to be heard and understood by the Almighty. This bold prayer shows incredible faith — the belief that even from the deepest, darkest place, his voice can reach the ears of God.

After crying out from the depths, the psalmist’s focus shifts from his circumstances to his sin. He realizes that if God were to “mark iniquities,” no one could stand. “If you, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with you so that you may be feared.”

The question “who shall stand?” is rhetorical. The answer is, “no one.” We all fall short, and our own efforts are not enough to save us. This verse brings us to a humbling realization: our greatest problem is not our circumstances, but our sin. If God were to hold our every fault against us, we would be completely undone. This verse underscores the absolute necessity of a Savior.

The psalmist’s hope for forgiveness finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The New Testament explains that God’s mercy is not arbitrary; it is rooted in His perfect plan of redemption. The Apostle John elaborates on this, giving us the source of that forgiveness.

“My little children, these things I write to you so that you do not sin. And if any man sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1-2).

Jesus is our “Advocate” with the Father, standing in our place as our defense attorney. He is also the “propitiation,” the atoning sacrifice that satisfies the just demands of God’s law. Because of His death on the cross, God can forgive us without compromising His holiness. It is through Christ’s righteousness and His innocent sufferings and death, not our own, that we can “stand” before a holy God. This is the reason and the source of the forgiveness the psalmist longed for.

Today, no matter what “depths” you find yourself in, remember the psalmist’s example. You don’t have to clean yourself up or find the right words. Just cry out, knowing that God is listening and that His forgiveness is abundant and freely given to all who, in faith, look to His Son, Jesus Christ, and His atoning sacrifice on the cross.

I am a sinner, O Lord, and deserving of nothing but your wrath and judgment. Have mercy on me and pardon my sin for the sake of Jesus and His blood shed on the cross for my sins and the sins of the world. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the Revised Common Version of the Bible.]