My text today comes from The Beatles!
Top story around the world - the announced engagement and approaching wedding of Kate & Will. Everyone wishes them the very best, and many look forward to being able to share their joy, in some way or other. Their wedding will be a bigger event than most of us would experience. But the same qualities needed for the couple next door will be needed for Will & Kate. We could remember to pray for them, as we do for all who are getting married.
While St. Paul was not writing to a couple approaching their wedding, but his words apply to us all. 'Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.' (1 Corinthians 13.4-7)
Paul describes the sort of love we need to show to all we meet - and reflects the character of Jesus, as shown in the Gospels. There is no room here for self-centred grumpiness, but a generous willingness to see the best in others. We could all do with a dose of this, with cold weather, government cuts and many other pressures. That would make such a difference around us - what a challenge!
Best wishes,
Richard
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ReplyDeletePaul also makes some other recommendations in the same book about marriage and women. I hope modern Christians don't take on board all that is said by Paul when considering marriage.
ReplyDeleteIt is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. -- 1 Corinthians 7:1-2
For I would that all men were even as I myself.... I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. -- 1 Corinthians 7:7-9
Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. -- 1 Corinthians 7:27