Our devotions this Lenten season have been written by members of Faith Lutheran Church. Today’s devotion is by Linda Lamb. Also, if you would like to join our staff in praying the liturgy for Responsive Prayer/Suffrages just click here.
“Faith, Hope, Love abide, these three, but the greatest of these is love.” I Corinthians 13:13
We often associate this verse with weddings. Obviously the focus of the day is love. This chapter of the Bible focuses on what love is and what love is not, but I often wondered why love is the greatest.
Faith can move mountains – that’s pretty great! Faith is the evidence of things not seen. We haven’t seen God face to face, but we have seen faith! Faith is the foundation of what we believe!
And where would we be without hope? Hope is pretty important too. Our faith gives us hope for our tomorrows. I used to think faith, hope and love – as far as my church life was concerned – each should be 33 1/3 percent- how could one be greater then the other?
Our faith also teaches us to “Love our neighbor as our self.” Our love for others is often expressed in giving and caring. We make contributions to food drives and support back to school programs and toy drives. Through our love for our neighbor, the parents of hungry children go to organizations such as CCSC with the hope that they will have food for that evening, and their prayer is answered.
Brent served on a mission trip to Belize, helping with tasks that would free ophthalmologists to serve as many patients as possible in the short time they had at a clinic that was open only a few days a year. A young child, who was cross-eyed, was brought to the clinic. His parents had the faith that the visiting doctors could help their son. The ophthalmologist completed the exam and could correct this child’s vision, but it would take a specially ground lens. He decided to look through the box of donated glasses without much hope that the needed lens would be there, but it was!
Many of our members donate blood. Each donation gives hope and/or health to at least three patients. The doctors ordering the blood components have faith that they will be available. When we encounter the homeless person on the street and hand them a Grace Bag, they feel a love they often do not experience. They more then likely have more hope for tomorrow. We show our love for others through our sharing of our time, talents, and possessions. Without our love, others may lose hope and faith. That is why “the greatest of these is love.”
Let us pray: Lord help us to be a blessing to others by sharing our time, talents, possessions, or a kind word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Daily Devotions 
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