Fields United Methodist Church

Thoughts Along the Way

Pastor Tom Joyce

May 4, 2021

“Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant, or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.”

I Corinthians 13:4-8

Unconditional love, a love that looks beyond what is perceived and hopes for what is possible. God’s love, as defined by St. Paul, never ends. God knows what is possible because we have been created out of the pure love of God as seen through Jesus.  We are called to witness the same love that Jesus has witnessed to us, a love that is forever abiding, forever hope-filled, forever seeking the best for another. It is a love that takes believing beyond what is seen, hoping for what may seem unreachable, and enduring every challenge along the way.  In a few days, as a nation we celebrate Mother’s Day. A mom is not defined by biology or the ability to give birth, but rather a mom is one who loves us unconditionally, who “bears all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” A mom shares with us the “overwhelming, never-ending reckless love of God.” (Cory Asbury) The love of God does not fade with time, never leaves, and never loses hope in us; God’s love never ends. You may feel abandoned by circumstance or the challenges of this life; you may think how anyone could ever love you; you may even believe you are not worthy of someone’s love let alone God’s love. But you are loved, no matter the challenges, no matter what you have done or left undone, and no matter what you even think of yourself, God loves you more than you will ever know not only yesterday, today, and tomorrow, but forever. God’s love through Jesus Christ bore the weight of your sin on a cross, traveled with you by the “still waters” and “green pastures” of life, and even through the “valley of the shadow of death.” Through it all God has been with you, sharing with you a love that has no end. God has shared with you the gift of love and all that God asks in return is that you share the same love with your neighbor. And who is your neighbor? All for whom Christ died, and that is everybody.