And now abide the faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”(1 Cor. 13:13 NKJV). 

Those who follow Jesus, cannot live without faith! Faith is the key that opens the door to our relationship with Him! It is the vehicle that brings us into the richness of His life that He alone so freely offers unto us! Neither can we live without hope! It is our hope in Christ that strengthens us, encourages us and sustains us in the midst of trial and difficulty. It is hope that looks beyond the now. It is hope that looks beyond the darkness and sees the Light of His Glory! It is hope that looks beyond death and sees the promise and the guarantee of eternal life! The faith and hope that Christ offers to us are powerful anchors of the soul! But there is a third anchor that is even more powerful than the other two. And that anchor is love! Of the three it is the greatest and the most powerful! 

It is the conscious reality of His love that gives meaning to faith and hope! It is the revelation of His love for us that gives purpose and meaning to life! 
Because we are aware of His love, we can put our faith in Him! Because of the reality of His love, we can put our trust in Him and hope in Him even in the darkness! 

The reality of His love was demonstrated by the fact that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us!” (Romans 5:8). He did not wait for us to get better or to get our lives together! No, He died for us while we were in the midst of our mess. He knew we we had no power to change ! It was His love for us that held Him to the cross! Not the nails! It was His love for us that enabled Him to conquer death ad hell on our behalf (Rev. 1:18). 

It is His love for us that continues to offer us His righteousness and eternally life! (2 Cor. 5:21). Receive His love! Embrace it! Walk in it! It is the most powerful force in the Universe! It will literally transform your life. 

James W. Black