Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Grace”
Our Bible verse for today: “Love is patient; love is kind … love never ends.”
1 Corinthians 13:4; 8
Our thought for today: “God’s grace is best expressed in love.”
This morning I was reading Paul’s wonderful description of love in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-13. As I was reading, it occurred to me that this is a great description of grace. At its best, grace is expressed through acts of love.
“Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not conceited, does not act improperly, is not selfish, is not provoked, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends … Now these three remain: faith hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
Look again at the passage. Paul describes virtues like patience and kindness, forgiveness and hope; he says that true love avoids envy and boasting, selfishness and provocation; he urges us to be committed long-term and to endure all things for the sake of love. The passage absolutely exudes grace. Grace is all about love and grace is best expressed in love.
The great missionary Mother Teresa of Calcutta once wrote, “You can do no great things, just small things with great love.” Yes, the smallest act, done in love, is great.
This Sunday, as you gather with your church family, there will be people there who need to experience God’s grace, they need to be loved. I encourage you to be intentional about prayerfully seeking out those who need a word of encouragement, an act of kindness, a hug, or a pat on the back. The smallest act, even a smile and a word of greeting, can be an expression of God’s grace and can make a difference in someone’s life.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 