1 CORINTHIANS 13:1-8a – “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.”

THEME OF THE DAY: JESUS FORMED IN US AND FLOWING FROM US.  What is the purpose behind God saving us?  Or this question, what is God’s intent in granting us salvation?   The answers to those questions come to us in the familiar text of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter eight . . .

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified” (Romans 8:28-30).

God is saving an elect people for the purpose and intent of creating a forever family shaped from the inside out into the image of His Son, the Lord Jesus.  This not only defines what God is doing but also should align us with what He is doing also.  The application is what we find in Philippians 2 . . .

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13).

So, if working out our salvation is cooperating with God as He works in us of making us like Jesus, what would be the indication this work is happening?  Today’s scripture – a life of love; a life showing forth the love of Christ in all our relationships.  And here is the key.  We are not to be the judges of such a life.  Since true love, Christ’s love, is all about others, whether or not we are experiencing Jesus being formed in us and flowing from us in His love will be determined by the influence for Christ we are having on others.  And what would that influence of love look like in our relationships?  Meditate on these traits of Christ’s love and ask this question . . . “Do I have such a reputation among people?”

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a).

May we strive for the Lord to do this work in us. After all, He said that we would be known by our love, His love formed with us, and flowing from us (John 13:34-35).

PRAYER: Father, make the image of Your Son shaped in me be the passion and pursuit in my life.

REFLECTION: The character of Jesus in His people and flowing from them to others is the greatest influencer in life.