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1 Corinthians 13:4-7 – Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (NIV)
Recently, I lost my wedding ring. For over 43 years, it had seldom been off my finger, but at the end of that day, I looked at my hand and felt my stomach knot. Having already been evacuated once this summer by a forest fire, I had spent the day trying to protect our home better by cutting low branches off our evergreen trees and taking trailer loads of branches and fallen needles and cones to the dump. Gloves had been off and on many times. Where had I lost it?
It was the most important ring I owned, but after all, I thought, it was only a ring. But then, I was suddenly deeply reminded of how it symbolized my love for and commitment to my wife, and how it was so much part of our whole relationship. This caused me to think about our marriage and the ups and downs that are part of life and any relationship, and I found myself thinking at a deeper level — a "1 Corinthians 13" level — about my love towards my wife. I'm human; I'm not perfect (ask her!); there have been many times and ways that I've fallen short of what God has said here through the apostle Paul. Perhaps it would do me well to meditate on these words more deeply, more often, and seek His help in living these words better.
As you read this, you may or may not be married, and your experience is different than mine, of course. But married, single, divorced, widowed, young or old, we all have in our lives family and friends with whom we wish and strive to live in a loving relationship. Personally, I've found that this Scripture shouldn't be left to wedding ceremonies only. It is God talking to me and to us about His love and ours — good stuff, important stuff for each day.
P.S. That night in my office, there was my ring on my Bible, where I'd laid it the night before due to aching joints.
Prayer: Father, thank You for Your Word to us. It is wonderful, and it is so practical. Help us to treasure it so much that we live it in our daily lives. Thank You, Father, for the people in our lives whom we love so deeply. Amen.
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Good word, Don.
Good message Don. Thanks for sharing. Blessings.
Could there have been a better place to find your wedding ring? I think not!!
Love your story….and the good reminder. Thank you.
(Texas)
So glad you found your ring, thanks for sharing your writings,
(CA)
Thank you for your very positive devotional.
Take care and may you and your family be safe.
Amen and Amen, Don. For sure, 1 Corinthians 13 gives us great relationship guidelines. Blessings.
Dear Don,
yes, well, we are all found wanting at some time. Grace is a wonderful thing, so perseverance.
Good word Don, and you are blessed to have a heart that hears God concerning such things in regards to relationships.
Blessings.
Don – thank you for this devotional and for the important reminder that this passage in Corinthians should apply not only to marriages, but to all relationships. God Bless you and keep you and your family safe.
Glad to know that you found your wedding ring!
Hi Don. Have really been touched by what the Lord has given you to write about… thank you! BTW, I lost the diamond from my engagement ring and know how you felt! My husband got a new one to replace the old (diamond not wife).
Thank you for your precious word this morning. I, too, have lost rings in the past, some were found and a couple are gone forever. But, as you say there are far more important things in life than materialistic things.
God bless you.
Loved your devotion this morning and am so glad you found your ring!! I have never had mine off for 48 years! I would be most upset to lose it. And it reminds me of when our Mom died a few years ago. She had never had her ring off so I suggested that we leave it on for it to go with her! I am glad we left it on her. Thanks for your devotion this morning and may God continue to bless you as you share His love with others.
Good morning, Don,
Thank you so much for this devotional. I have been working through a wonderful biography of the Apostle Paul with a group of older ladies. We have been reading about the Corinthian church. I will share your devotional with them.
We will all rejoice that you found your ring and will ask for the Lord’s help in following the practical teaching of scripture.
Don: This was wonderful to read. I am surrounded by pictures, and photographs of my mom and things she left me.
They are a constant reminder of the impact she had on my life! I have a few things I took with me. Precious things that remind me of that from which I came!
Thanks be to our God and Father for love found!
The music for the day says as much!
Every day is brighter partaking in the love of Jesus!
God bless your love for your loved ones!
Dave: Very true words, and I identify very much with that. WE need to let the Holy Spirit guide our lips and actions more completely. How easily we forget.
P.S. It was good to hear you say “Forest Fire” and not “Wildfire”. How did our media change their reports to wildfires. That is a southern California term.
Blessings on you.
(Ontario)
Dear Don Lipsett,
Thank you for sharing your deep thoughts of love and marriage.
And thank you for sharing your good surprise of finding your wedding ring just where you had put it.
I pray that God will continue to bless you and your beloved wife.
Keep writing.
Thank you Don, for a beautiful reflection, one that bears repeating time and again. It’s amazing how God uses our experiences, like losing your ring, to help us return to His Word and His intention for all of His children. In striving for the ‘1 Corinthians 13’ all-encompassing type of love, we will come closer to living the example Jesus set for us, with God’s help.
I’m so glad you found your ring 🙂 … and pray that God will keep you and your loved ones safe from the forest fires, that He will quench the fire, and give you His Peace.
Blessings,
(ON)