Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
—1 Corinthians 13:1-13

~~~~~

Love Remains
By Jennifer Kane

I remember the warmth of sunlit days,
Frisbee arcs in golden rays,
Laughter chasing down the hill,
Hearts unburdened, young and still.

We ran through dusk in tag and dreams,
Hid in shadows, whispered schemes.
With water balloons and worn-out shoes,
We soaked in joy like morning dews.

Scripture verses, line by line,
Carved in memory, heart, and spine.
“Love is patient, love is kind”—
The words took root, the Spirit signed.

I didn’t fully grasp it fully then,
When I was twelve or maybe eleven—
But something sacred filled the air,
A deeper love was planted there.

It does not boast, it bears all things,
It lifts the low, gives tired hearts wings.
It keeps no record of the wrong—
It sings a faithful, ageless song.

Years have passed and seasons turned,
Friendships faded, bridges burned.
But still those truths from days gone by
Come flooding in like summer sky.

When hardships try to cloud my view,
I reach back to what I knew:
The campfire glow, the Bible’s light—
The love that taught my soul to fight.

The faith of youth, the hope so wide,
Still walk with me, still stand beside.
But greater still—the treasure above—
Is this unshakable gift of love.

Now grown in age, but still I see
That summer shaped the heart of me.
For though the games and time depart—
Love never leaves the yielded heart.


~~~~~

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

I still remember those summer camp days—the scent of pine trees and sunscreen, the thrill of night tag beneath a starry sky, the splash of cold water from a well-aimed balloon, and the joy of memorizing Scripture around a campfire. We ran and played like time didn’t matter. And in many ways, it didn’t—because what we were really learning was timeless.

Among the Scriptures etched into my young heart was 1 Corinthians 13. We called it “the love chapter.” I recited it line by line with my cabinmates, hardly grasping its depth—but somehow knowing it mattered.

Seasons change. Junior high faded into high school, and those carefree summers gave way to work, responsibilities, and trials. The water balloon fights were replaced with real battles—hurts, doubts, and disappointments.

But love remained.

Not the fluttery crushes of adolescence, but the kind of love that holds you up when you’re weak. The kind that listens, forgives, bears burdens, and believes the best. The kind that comes from God and shapes us to be like Him.

Even when friendships faded, when I outgrew cabins and camp t-shirts, what God taught me through His Word endured. Love was there when I stumbled. Love corrected me when I was wrong. Love comforted me in loss. God’s love never gave up on me.

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.” (v.11)

But maybe not all the ways.

Because the heart of that child—the one who believed in the power of love, who was excited to learn truth and memorize God’s Word—is still in me. And that love I learned about in 1 Corinthians 13 isn’t just a memory. It’s a calling.

What are some memories from your youth that remind you of God’s love?
How has your understanding of love grown or changed over time?
Which verse from 1 Corinthians 13 speaks most deeply to you right now?

Reach out this week with love that reflects God’s heart. Be patient with someone hard to love. Speak kindly when it’s easier to be critical. Choose humility. Celebrate others. Forgive. And in doing so, live out the timeless truth: love never fails.

~~~~~

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the memories that remind us of Your goodness—those carefree days of childhood and the moments when Your Word was planted in our hearts. Thank You for teaching us what love truly is—not just a feeling, but a way of living. Help us to love like You love: Patiently, kindly, without envy or pride. Teach us to let go of grudges, to forgive quickly, and to always hope, always trust, always persevere. When seasons change and life feels uncertain, remind us that Your love never fails. Keep growing that love in us, Lord, until it overflows into the lives around us. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

June 21 2025