“And now these three remain:
faith, hope and love.
But the greatest of these is love.”
(1 Corinthians 13:13)
This week I have the privilege of officiating my first wedding in the LCPC sanctuary and there has been a long list of “firsts” in preparation for the ceremony and learning how things are done around here.
One of the joys of officiating at a wedding is the “charge” that I get to give to the couple. Now I know they aren’t going to remember what I say but I do love the passage from which I will be speaking.
It is from 1 Corinthians 13 and they are Paul’s well-known words about love. The summary that he gives about the attributes of love is a triad of values: faith, hope and love. These three virtues are an important foundation for a marriage but they are also an important part of life. Faith gives us something to trust, and for the Christ follower, we place our faith, our trust, in Him. Hope is an outlook toward the future. It is knowing that God is at work and will provide for a future where His kingdom will come, on earth just as it is in heaven. This hope is something that helps us now. The final virtue is love. It is a love that expects nothing in return. We love, unselfishly, following the example of Jesus who loved the world all the way to the cross.
So, this Memorial Day weekend, as we are going about our various activities, whether we are staying in town or going away for the weekend, may we live and talk about this triad of virtues, faith, hope and love and as we do, may we make a difference for the expansion of God’s Kingdom.
Know that I am praying for you. Have a fun and safe Memorial Day weekend.