Reading With the People of God - #6 LOVEنموونە

Memorization Challenge: 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

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.

Reading Primer:

Psalm 6: I was moved by the psalmist's deep emotion, the deep pain and anguish he felt with every fiber of his body and soul. He cries out to the Lord, asking for mercy and healing. We all can relate to this to some degree or another. Knowing that the Lord hears the cries of the Psalmist comforts me. He knows the Lord has heard and accepted his cry for mercy. We can also take comfort in knowing the Lord hears our prayers.

Deuteronomy 16:13-17, Chapter 16 God is giving Moses instructions about the appointed feasts they are to celebrate. The feast of Tabernacles is the third appointed feast they were to observe yearly. This celebration was a time of thanksgiving for the blessing from the Lord. The first instruction was to be joyful as they gathered together. No one should appear empty-handed. They were to come together and bring a gift in keeping with how the Lord blessed them. This was a time of joyful celebration of God's blessings.

1 Corinthians 8, In this chapter, Paul addresses a hot topic of their day: eating meat used in idol worship. He explains his position by intertwining knowledge, freedom in Christ, and the regard of others over ourselves. He begins with knowledge. There are many gods (little g) and lords, but only one God in which all things exist. Those who understood this knew the idol was of no consequence. Therefore, eating meat brought to an idol was ok. However, not everyone understands this, so Paul tempers this freedom to eat or not with love for others.

Paul cautions that their deeper understanding should not puff them up but rather be used to build others up. If they were causing others to stumble, then, regarding others, stop.

I see this same scenario being played out today. While we have freedom in Christ, we should use that freedom not for our gain but to advance His kingdom. Remembering that freedom came to us through His suffering and death on the cross.

- Laurie Harry, Artist, aspiring writer.