READING: 1 Corinthians 13-16
In this devotion, I focus on the last verse of 1 Corinthians 16 because of the intimate nature of the closing to this letter.* Indeed, it’s one of the most heartfelt conclusions of any of Paul’s letters. “I love you,” the apostle told the Corinthians, and he ended this correspondence (at least with this letter) on this warm note. This book began with Paul’s saying, “I always thank my God for you” (1 Cor 1:4), and it ended with a word of love. The “bookends” of this book thus show Paul’s relationship with this congregation.
What’s in between the bookends, though, is quite different. Frankly, the Corinthian church was a mess. Think about it. They were divided. They rejoiced over sin. They lived out immoral sexuality. They were suing each other. Some questioned Paul’s apostleship. They abused the Lord’s Supper even while they were arguing over who had the greatest gifts. Some were disrupting the worship services. To put it simply, they apparently weren’t very loving toward one another.
Nevertheless, Paul said to them, “I love you” — and in so doing, he modeled for us how we’re to relate to our brothers and sisters. True, some may seem to be more trouble than help. Some are argumentative, and others live in continual sin. Some are consumed by their own pride. Others create crusades out of their individual interpretation of the Word. Some church members, it seems, bring trouble with them like the Corinthians did.
And yet, we still must love them like Paul did.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Do you genuinely love the church?
PRAYER: “God, help me to love Your people today.”
TOMORROW’S READING: 2 Corinthians 1-7
*devotion first published in 2016
