Mighty God of Healing and might, pour out a double portion of health and wellness on this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 13: And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
We've sometimes played the game, If you were stuck on a deserted island, what three books (or music or food or whatever, fill in the blank) would you take. If you're with a group of church-goers of course one will inevitably say, "The Bible!" and most everyone will nod politely and say, "Good one" and think, "Nah, too boring" or whatever else they might be really thinking.
How about this, and this is not a game: What three things can keep you going with all the challenges of life? What hardship or illness or anxiety or worry is keeping you up at night? St. Paul says that we have these three things that should keep us going if we let them live in us: Faith, hope, and love. Faith, the Bible says (remember the book you would take with you to that island?) is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). In other words, faith is your spiritual fuel. It keeps you connected to the Lord and if you're connected with Him, what more do you need? Well, the second thing, if it "abides" in you is hope. Hope is the anti-venom to the bite of fear. Hope is what many Christians seem to be sadly lacking in today's world. More often than not, those who cry they are Christians the loudest are the ones letting fear run their lives. Hope is that which says, God is with me and I will see it through victoriously. Hope is that which some may ridicule, but others may re-fuel from if they hear it and let it live in them. And the last, is love. This completes the great checklist of things we need to face life and all that life throws at us. With love abiding, living and reigning as the chief motivator of our heart, we will be thankful and worshipful of God.
Think about it: Faith is your spirit's food. Hope is your mind's food. And love is your heart's food. Fuel up now and face the day. Be a blessing to others!
PRAYER: Gracious God of all things, I claim these three to live in my heart, mind, and spirit. Let me be a person who blesses others today because of the faith, hope, and love you have placed in my heart. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
