“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
Love is patient,
Love is kind,
It does not envy,
It does not boast,
It is not proud,
It is not rude,
It is not self-seeking,
It is not easily angered,
It keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil.
But rejoices with truth.
It always protects,
Always trusts,
Always hopes,
Always perseveres.
Love never fails.
But where there are prophecies,
They will cease;
Where there are tongues,
They will be stilled; where there is knowledge,
It will pass away.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
But when perfection comes,
The imperfect disappears.
When I was a child,
I talked like a child.
When I became a man,
I put childish ways behind me.
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror;
Then we shall see face to face.
Now I know in part;
Then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain;
Faith, hope and love.
But the greatest of these is LOVE.”
1 Cor. 13:1-13
Today’s daily devotional
“Oh, those were the days.” My mom whispers in a hushed voice. She peers over the checkout counter and motions with her eyes at the baby bump hidden beneath the cashier’s apron. He eyes are bright and shining with her discovery.
From the look on the cashier’s face, it is apparent that she seems ready for her baby to come soon. She does not look comfortable, happy or excited. I smile at the irony.
Because I am the first-born child of a family of five, I am an honest witness that my mother truly loved being pregnant. I hardly remember a complaint leave her lips. From the moment she knew she was carrying a little one, she treated her body with great care and concern.
“When you were born, I loved you so much. I tried to imagine loving another child as much as I loved you. I was worried when I found out that I was pregnant with your brother. What if I could not love him as much as I loved my precious Julia?” She looked at me as if I were that little baby once again. Her face was soft and tender.
“Then, Daniel was born.” She continues on her face glazed as she remembers. “I couldn’t believe that the love in my heart doubled in size. I loved you both—with all my heart.” A tear rolls down her cheek.
No matter how many times my mother tells this story, it melts my heart to the core. There is no love like the love of a mother—especially one that is more committed to her children than she is herself.
My mom is not aware of the latest fashions; she does not brunch at the country club or have a roster of friends that would impress a stranger. In fact, she wears her clothes for as long as she can and shares all that she has with anyone who has a need, she spends her time with those whom many have no patience for and she has a hard time wrapping her head around “me” time.
The world does not know her, but she means the world to me. When I think of my mother, my first thought is unconditional love.
From the moment I was born I tested that love. It started before I could speak—when my chubby fingers let go of her safe hand as I was determined to cross the street by myself. The testing got harder through my teenage years. Those were the days when mom lost hours of sleep to prayer and worry. It is a wonder that anyone could love me at all, least of all the woman who got the brunt of every bad day.
I want to take a moment to thank my mom, Colleen. She has brought the meaning of 1 Cor. 13: 1-13 to life for me. Mom is patient, Mom is kind, Mom does not envy, boast, is not proud, rude, self-seeking, easily angered, keeps no record of wrongs, does not delight in evil, rejoices in truth, she always protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres. Mom’s love has not failed me.
“Dear Heavenly Father,
Oh, the gifts you give that go unnoticed for so long. I thank you for the wonderful gift of my mother. She has endured so much pain and sorrow in the name of love.
I pray that from this day forward I treat her with great respect and honor. I regret that it has taken me this long to see just how important her love was for my development. She is worthy of a better daughter. Help me to be the kind of daughter she deserves, Lord.
In the name of Jesus, crown my mother with beauty for her ashes, give her the oil of joy for her mourning and let me bring restoration and happiness every time I am graced by her presence, Amen.”
Thank you for reading today’s daily devotional.
Please check back and see what we have for you tomorrow!
Author: Julia Shalom Jordan