#286.4 – “Love Does Not Rejoice in Unrighteousness”

“(Love) does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.” - 1 Corinthians 13:6
Love rejoices with truth always because Love is Truth. God is love (1 Jn 4:16). Jesus is God (Jn 10:30). Jesus is Truth (Jn 14:6). In the spiritual realm, Truth and Love are one. They naturally rejoice with each other, because they are of the same essence and nature.
We should derive our understanding of how we ought to relate to one another based on the nature of the relationships within the triune God. Therefore, to sum up the practical application of this verse, we should always keep truth and righteousness at the forefront of the way we see love and the way we demonstrate love to another. Our love should never be tainted with an outside substance like unrighteousness, because it is foreign to the very nature of love. Rather, ours should be a pure love that exhibits the characteristics of righteousness and truth.

Daniel

#286.3 – “Love Does Not Take into Account a Wrong Suffered”

“(Love) does not take into account a wrong suffered...” - 1 Corinthians 13:5d.
I had bought some fresh-baked mini-croissants the other day, thinking they would be good for breakfast. I opened them up and introduced them to everyone yesterday morning. Several of them were gone within minutes. By the time I got to the kitchen this morning, the croissants were all gone… and we had a few unhappy campers. There arose what would get filed in a police report as a ‘dispute’ over how many croissants each person had eaten!
Last night, Sarah and I were talking about how God chooses to not remember our sins when we ask Him to forgive us. I told her that I don’t believe He actually ‘forgets’ them, because that would be inconsistent with His omniscient (all-knowing) nature. Instead, I believe that He chooses to treat us as if they never happened. He is capable of a love that is so powerful, that He can relate to us anew.
If I were to ask you to come up with some good ‘dirt’ on your family members, I’d bet that you could. Conversely, I’d bet that they could do the same with regards to you. There might even have been some times when someone ate your croissant! And yet, you love them anyway, huh? How much more so our God loves each of us! And He expects us to love other people in similar fashion, giving them a ‘fresh start’ when they have wronged us.
May we be challenged to treat those who have done us wrong with the same grace that God bestows upon us.

Daniel

#286.2 – “Love Is Not Provoked”

“(Love) is not provoked...” - 1 Corinthians 13:5c.
Yesterday evening, I watched a movie with Anna in which one of the main characters was kind of a rough and tough guy who was always provoking his neighbor – accusing him of wrongdoing and attempting to start an argument with him. The neighbor always responded in kindness and with a calm voice. By the end of the movie, the calloused man softens and realizes he needs love.
Real love doesn’t provoke someone to anger, nor is it a provoked response. In other words, if it has to be pried out of someone’s mouth to say to another that they love them, then it is not as it should be. Love ought to go out freely… uninhibited and unprovoked.
May we seek to love like our God has loved us; as we did not do anything to deserve His love, let us not wait until we feel someone else deserves our love to show the love of God to them.

Daniel

#286.1 – “Love Does Not Seek Its Own”

“(Love) does not seek its own...” - 1 Corinthians 13:5b.
Last night, we told the boys they could play one video game before going to bed. Joshua wanted to play a certain one; Grant wanted to play another. Neither was willing to give up ground, so I had to step in and pick for them.
Another translation of the scripture above says ‘Love does not insist on its own way…’ If that is an accurate description of love, then there are plenty of times when I am not very loving! Oh, I may not insist on my way, but I sure can be manipulative and try to work all things together for the good of me!
But that is not like God at all. He is totally self-less. Philippians 2:6-8 talks about Jesus giving up His ‘rights and privileges’ as Deity to take on the fleshly body of a man… and to even go so far as to die on the cross – a most cruel and painful death – so that rotten, dirty sinners like me could have a choice to live with and love and serve God forever. His is a love that is the very definition of selflessness. He does not ‘seek His own’, but rather seeks what is best for us… working ‘all things together’ for our good (Rom 8:28).

Daniel

#285.5 – “Love Does Not Act Unbecomingly”

“(Love) does not act unbecomingly...” - 1 Corinthians 13:5a.
This is the point in these devotions at which I want to make clear that the scripture is setting forth an ideal for us to follow… a standard for us to have as our guide. The fact that we cannot live up to this standard does not change the fact that it is right and good, nor does the fact that it is so perfectly right and good mean that we as fallen man shouldn’t have it as our ideal. Paul knew we are not perfect and would not always act as we should. We can know that because He clearly says in Rom 7 that he himself doesn’t act as he should at all times. But the same conclusion he came to at the end of that passage is the one that brings us security as to this one: that we need help from God to be all that He wants us to be. Without Him we can do nothing.
Lord, help us to be all that You want us to be for Your glory and not our own. Help us to exemplify the kind of love that You are to those around us, so that people are drawn to You through our love.

Daniel

#285.4 – “Love Does Not Brag”

“Love does not brag and is not arrogant...” - 1 Corinthians 13:4d.
One of the translations of this phrase says ‘Love does not parade itself.’ That reminds me of Joshua, who has been know at times to strut around, acting like he’s all that and a bag of chips!
For a four-year old who knows he’s a stinker, it is funny. For those of us trying to resemble Christ in our love towards God and one another, it is not. We must always be aware that we do not go about showing off who we are and what we can do.
True love is always focused on the other, whether the ‘other’ at the time is God or your spouse or your family and friends. The reason true love does not brag is not because true love has nothing to brag about, but because it is so focused on the recipient of its love that it doesn’t think of itself. That kind of pure selflessness is what allowed Jesus to stay on the cross and endure the pain and shame associated with it. And that is the kind of attitude we should have.

Daniel

#285.3 – “Love Is Not Jealous”

“(Love) is not jealous...” - 1 Corinthians 13:4c.
One of the things our Truth Project lessons have taught is that we are blessed to have a God who is jealous for us. Because were it not for His jealousy for us, we would go astray and likely stay apart from Him and His love for us. But the fact that He is jealous for us means that when sin would seek to separate us from God and ultimately destroy us, God intervenes and pleads with His love for us. He doesn’t force us to turn around and follow Him, but He doesn’t just sit idly by and watch our demise without attempting to rescue us. He simply loves us too much. That’s the good kind of jealousy.
That’s not what Paul is writing about here in 1 Cor. Here, he is referring to the kind of jealousy that is centered on ‘me’ – my wants and wishes and desires – to the potential detriment of another with no concern for them. It’s the kind of jealousy that sees what ‘I want’ and tries to get it at all costs, clawing and scratching after it if necessary. It’s the kind of jealousy that satan himself has regarding the powers that God alone possesses, and that’s the kind of jealousy we are capable of and must, therefore, guard ourselves against.
Sarah and I are having a friendly little contest of losing weight. She is winning. As her husband, I rejoice with her for how well she is doing; as her competitor, I admit that I struggle with sometimes being envious of her success. But I am reminded that true love is not jealous… and that I should be proud of her… and that I should be happy over her accomplishments.
May our love be so purely focused on others that we laugh when they laugh and cry when they cry and walk alongside them in our journey towards being more Christ-like.

Daniel

#285.2 – “Love Is Kind”

“Love is kind...” - 1 Corinthians 13:4b.
One of the nicest things I have seen from our kids lately is when we all went out Saturday for our Valentine celebration. We ate lunch at one of Sarah’s favorite restaurants and then did a little shopping. The boys wanted a new video game (imagine that!), but they didn’t quite have enough money. The girls agreed with us to pool all of our money together to get a game that the whole family could play and enjoy.
Love puts another in a higher place than self. Jesus thought enough of mankind to die on their behalf, even though we did nothing to deserve it. He chose to surrender His life and His will to live, in order that we might have a choice to live forever with Him.
I invite you to thank Him for His sacrificial, selfless love, and to imitate it to those around you.

Daniel

#285.1 – “Love Is Patient”

“Love is patient...” - 1 Corinthians 13:4a.
When Joshua tells us a story of something that has happened to him, he goes to great lengths to make sure he doesn’t leave out any details. Consequently, it takes him a while to get the whole thing out. One has to be patient to listen to him. I admit that I have had times when I am in the middle of something and he has told me one of his stories and I have sort of ‘glossed over’ and not been listening as I should, and it’s all because he is so little that I know I can sort of tune him out and he won’t know the difference. But the truth is – there will come a day when I will wish he is around to talk to me and tell me stories, and he will be gone. And I will wish I had listened more often when he was little. So I realize I need to show him patience and change the way I listen to him. Even though he may never notice the difference, I will.
God is so good to hear me and to pay attention to me anytime I come to Him. No matter if I am complaining or whining or rambling on about something or whatever, He still listens. The God of the universe is patient enough to take time just for me!
Lord, help me to be more attentive to my children the way you are so attentive to me. And thank You for listening… all the time.

Daniel

#284.3 – “Unfailing Love”

“Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, but who can find a faithful man? A righteous man walks in integrity. Blessed are his children after him.” - Proverbs 20:6-7
Yesterday, Joshua went with me to do a little homebound visiting. Everywhere we went, he wanted me to hold him and let him lay his head on my shoulder. For one thing, he was kind of tired; for another, he just wanted some holding time (and I certainly enjoyed it too). I began to think about how this child is our baby, and I won’t be able to pick him up and carry him much longer. I won’t be able to let him lay up against me with his head on my shoulder. But one thing is certain – no matter how big that boy or any of our others get, I will always be their daddy and I will always love them.
I am grateful today that I have a Father who never stops being Father to me. No matter how big I get, or what I do, or where I go, He is always there for me… always loving me.
Give thanks today for God’s unfailing love for you.

Daniel

#284.2 – “Memories”

“They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness, And shall sing of Your righteousness.” - Psalms 145:7
Tuesday left two things in the Metcalfe household - a remaining scent of wood that had been burning the day before, and also more sinus congestion. But let me focus on the wood… ahhh, what a nice smell to come into. It reminded me of my uncle’s house, where there was always a fire burning in the basement fireplace during wintertime. I can remember sitting there with him and all our family… just watching those embers glow and crackle. Such nice memories bring a smile to my face.
What is it that really lasts/matters??? Is it not the love that we share with God and our family and friends? Today, I simply want to ask you to reflect on some nice memories you have, and give thanks to God for the fact that you can recall them and still derive joy from them. And also realize that you are making memories today that will sustain you and bring you joy in the future.

Daniel

#284.1 – “In from the Cold”

“And besides all this, there is a great chasm fixed between you and us; so that they desiring to pass from here to you cannot, nor can they pass over to us from there.” - Luke 16:26
Monday, I stayed home because I was sick. I have been dealing with some pretty heavy sinus congestion that makes it hard for me to sleep at night. I ended up staying up virtually all night Sunday, and felt terrible come Monday morning. Ruthie got up with a bad sore throat and a headache, and she stayed home too. We both sat around the house and compared notes on how bad we felt. You know what they say – misery loves company.
The only redeeming thing about Monday was the fact that we got to light the very first fire in our new home. The snow we had outside our house simply dictated that a fire must be built! And you know, it was quite medicinal in a way – hearing the crackling of the wood… smelling the aroma from the smoke… watching the flames dance around – it was nice to just lie down in the floor in front of the fireplace and enjoy it. And the best part for me was an awareness that we were inside while the snow and the cold were outside!
There will come a Day when an eternal separation will be made clear in which every soul will spend the rest of forever with the Lord or without Him. For those of us who have accepted the gift of salvation through faith in Christ, our focus should be trying to share the good news of Jesus with those whom we meet in order that they might join us and share with us in the joys of an eternity with Him. How much more we should love company than the miserable! May we be faithful to heed our Master’s call to do our part in showing others the way to Him.

Daniel

#283.5 – “Still Almost Late”

“Yet because we know that no man is justified by the works of the Law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, we ourselves also have put our faith in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the Law; for "By the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified.” - Galatians 2:16
Last night, Grant fell asleep early while reading a library book on his bed. I covered him and left him in his clothes, because I hated to disturb him.
This morning, he disturbed me.
He got up at 5:30 and was playing one of his little games in his brother’s bed which, of course, woke Joshua up! Soon everybody was up, which really was okay, because we have been getting to school late or almost late every day this week. I said to the girls this morning: ‘Well, if we’re late today, something is wrong.’ Well, guess what? We were pulling up to the elementary school with one minute left for the kids to be counted on time! We can’t make it no matter how early we get up!
You and I can’t make it to God’s standard for holiness no matter how hard we try in our strength. We just simply will never be good enough. We need the blood of Jesus to cover over our sins and cleanse us from all our unrighteousness, making us acceptable to God.
Give thanks to God for His indescribable gift of salvation to us!

Daniel

#283.4 – “A Place at the Table”

“And being seen in form as a man, He took the lowest place, and let Himself be put to death, even the death of the cross.” - Philippians 2:8
I ate lunch Wednesday with Anna. She got out of line and came up to me with arms open wide when she saw me coming. I gave her a big hug and then joined her in line. I would have thought she wouldn’t have wanted to do that in front of her friends. I am glad she isn’t ‘too big’ yet.
When she was leading me on the way to our seats, she noticed that the place where she normally sits had only one spot left. Not wanting me to be left out, she went around and found a place where we could both sit together.
The great God of the universe is mindful of me and you. The fact that He thinks of us is amazing… much less that He willingly gave His life for us. He moved off of His throne on high to come to earth and die on the cross of Calvary in order that we might have a place at the Table in His eternal Kingdom. What an awesome love!
Humble yourself before the One who is the very definition of humility… and give Him honor for His great love.

Daniel

#283.3 – “Hugs and Kisses”

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” - Romans 5:8
I already wrote about one experience I had while eating lunch with Ruthie on Monday; today, I want to tell you about another one. As I was just about finished with my food, I had a sudden somebody clinging to me from my left side, almost pulling me off my seat. It was Grant, who was so eager to see me that he came and squeezed me so hard that I thought he was going to make me choke on the bite I had just taken.
I returned the hug, once I realized its source, and drew him in closer to me, so that I could add a kiss on the top of his head. And he was glad to have me do so. You see, Grant is not old enough for that to not be ‘cool’. He still likes me hugging and kissing him, even in public. Now, I know that it is quite likely that those days are limited. I watched the boys sitting across from me look kind of astonished when I kissed him… but then I also saw in their eyes a certain longing to be with their dads at that moment, which brings me to my point:
We all have an inborn, deep-rooted, below-the-surface kind of yearning and longing to be loved. Sometimes, we may act un-needy in that area, but the fact is we are. We need to be loved, and we need someone to tell us and to show us that they love us and care about us.
Jesus has done that very kind of thing in dying on the cross for our sins. His love is one that is sure, because it has already been demonstrated.
Thank Him for His love for you. Accept it/Him if you have never done so. Share it if you have.

Daniel

#283.2 – “Supply and Demand”

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” - 2 Corinthians 5:21
Monday, I ate lunch with Ruthie. I set my food down and had to go back because I had forgotten my fork. When I came back, I noticed that Ruthie’s plate had emptied awfully quickly. I asked her about it and she told me that she had given her meat away to the boy across from her. I shrugged my shoulders and began eating. The next time I looked over at Ruthie’s plate, there was a peanut butter cracker sitting on it. Surprised by its presence, I asked her where that had come from. She couldn’t tell me, because she had another one in her mouth, which she was chewing up at the time. So she pointed at the little girl sitting next to her, who had brought her lunch.
I just shook my head and decided to mind my own business. Ruthie smiled at me, with peanut butter and cracker crumbs on the corners of her mouth.
This barter system is not new to the elementary school world. I can remember when Anna and her friends would do the same thing - one of them didn’t want the meat that day… the other didn’t like the bread… another didn’t care for the dessert they would offer… and so they would all trade around parts of their food until all were happy with what they had!
Jesus offers us the greatest swap of all time: he becomes our sin, so that we might become the very righteousness of God. We get all the good stuff; He takes all the bad for our sake. What a deal! I mean, of all the deals in the world to make, this is the one. This is the deal to take.
I encourage you - if you have never accepted the free gift of salvation that God offers to all – to do so by believing in His Son Jesus today. I assure you it is the best deal you will ever make.
If you do know the Lord as Savior, I urge you to help share the news of such a deal to those who may not have ‘closed’ on it just yet.

Daniel

#283.1 – “Our Little Waiter”

“Blessed are those servants whom the master, when He comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that He will gird Himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.” - Luke 12:37
Friday, Sarah and I got to go eat lunch with Grant. As we were going through the line, Grant was ahead of us – ‘leading the way’. He enjoyed showing us where to go and what to do!
He then surprised me by serving me my food… and then doing the same for his mommy. Every part of the meal that day, he wanted to take it from the bar and put it on our plates. I admit that I was proud of our little ‘waiter’, and I thanked him for his service.
Christ showed us how to serve. He embodied servanthood in all that He did. He served His Father in the plan that was laid out for Him, and He served man by carrying out that plan to the fullest – even dying on the cross for our sins.
Christ calls us to serve – both Him and one another. Service is an essential part of being a ‘little Christ’. If we are to emulate our Lord and Savior, we must take on His heart for service.

Daniel