I’ve recently been looking at the collection of professional photographs that were taken at my son’s wedding in June. They capture so much of that day, sun and showers, preparation inside and out, smiles, laughter, joy and most obviously love.
That love was obvious between Tom and Hannah, but also between their friends and family. Everyone there wanted to show and share their love for the happy couple.
Love is the last of the fruits of the Spirit in this TFTD series.
1 Corinthians 13 is often used at church wedding services “Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. And now faith, hope and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.”
Love encompasses all the fruits of the Spirit – patience, kindness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control, peace and joy.
The love of the newly married couple is different to that of friends and family. It was easy to see and feel the love that surrounds them, but is love always so easy.
Jesus told us to love our enemies. Are we always patient with those we do not like? Are we kind to those who are unkind to us? How generous are we? Do we limit our love?
There are people and situations in this world where love is sadly lacking, where we find it hard to love.
As this TFTD series concludes let us try to bear those fruits of the Spirit when it’s easy but also when it’s tough.
Prayer: Loving and merciful Father, help us to show love to those we love, and to those we find it difficult to love. Help us to bear the fruits of your Spirit, so that all will see you in our lives. AMEN