The Greatest!

And now there remain: faith [abiding trust in God and His promises], hope [confident expectation of eternal salvation], love [unselfish love for others growing out of God’s love for me], these three [the choicest graces]; but the greatest of these is love.1 CORINTHIANS

Have you ever wondered why Love is seen as the greatest of all the graces/gifts talked about in the whole of 1 Corinthians 13? Why is it so important? Let's look at each one

Faith is seen as the minimum standard for a relationship with God. Without it, it has been said that a man cannot please God. Abraham is today referred to as the father of faith, based on his trust in God's promises. He held on to God, even when the realities around him spoke otherwise, and he received the fruits of his faith. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Hebrews 11:6 NIV

What does hope look like? The moment expectations are met, the heart is at rest. As long as there is something to aspire to, the heart holds on and keeps looking ahead. We have been promised eternal life, and as long as we are on this side of eternity,we can only look ahead with expectation, looking forward to what has been promised. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
Romans 8:24‭-‬25 NIV

What of love? This is the only one that is defined as the nature of God. Everywhere you see God at work, you find his love at work. You couldn't say the same for faith and hope. Love is first from and of God, before man could ever know, understand or show it to others. Faith is man's response to God's promises, hope is man's expectation of God's promises, but love can only pour out of a man who has encountered the person of love himself. You cannot show what you don't have, or speak of something you do not fully understand. This is the reason why Love is the greatest. It is the expression of God himself, his very nature, the basis of his relationship with us, and his empowerment for us to also live the same way with other people.

All three are important, but there is an end to faith and hope. Faith and hope only look good on this side of eternity, but when I see God face to face, my faith and hope no longer look so good. That will be the end of my pursuit. Love will continue on that side of eternity, because it is God's nature. So, I ask God to help me keep eternity in view. As I run my race, I ask for strength to run with wisdom. May I not focus my energy on the things that do not profit, whilst leaving out the things of eternal value. His time of favour is here.