“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love,” (1 Cor 13:13).
Some graces are particularly suited to our present state of imperfection in this world. At the present time, we live by faith, repent and mourn for sin, live in hope of the glory which will be revealed, and wait until we possess the mansions above. We patiently wait for all the good that is promised to us, but not yet conferred upon us. However, in the future faith will be turned into sight, hope into enjoyment, desires into gratification, and waiting into possession. When this happens, we will believe no more, hope no more, desire no more, and wait no more. But even then we will continue in love, indeed, we will love more than ever, more abundantly, perfectly, and continually, without pause or alteration. We will love eternally. One reason why love is considered the greatest of the three Christian virtues, is that it will last the longest.
Thomas Doolittle said, “Love is the everlasting grace that will continue in use and increase, even when other graces will have ceased.”
Have you ever thought about what it means to love god perfectly? Though this not fully attainable in this life, is this your desire and purpose?
Those who love Christ sincerely here, will love him perfectly hereafter, and be forever blessed in that love. But those who do not love him in this world, cannot love him in the next. For the lack of such love, they shall be accursed forever. Thomas Doolittle, Love to Christ.
Contemplation:
Mighty God, help my thoughts to rise into the heaven with high thoughts of Christ. Cause me to have an overabundance of admiration, adoration, and thanksgiving. The more I contemplate the glory of my divine Lord, the more I realize that he is beyond the limits of my comprehension. This leads me to love the Lord Jesus Christ with every faculty of my soul.
In heaven, I will exercise all of the faculties of my soul simultaneously in the worship and service of Christ, but in this world both my understanding and my strength is incomplete. Therefore, sometimes my thoughts of Christ lead to admiration, at other times to adoration, and still at others to thanksgiving according to my understanding and my capacity. Help me never lose sight of the fact that the purpose for which I know Christ is worship, adoration and love.
