“Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.”—I Corinthians 13:8-10 (ESV)
Here we have God’s abiding Word that Love will never end. We will love and be loved in the infinite, spiritual dimension when we enter our heavenly home. Of the emotions and characteristics we share in the earthly dimension, love will be one we will continue in Heaven. Only there, we will truly know what love is and how to share it in perfect synchronization with God’s will and way for us.
Some of the spiritual entities we will not need in Heaven will not exist there. Prophecy will pass away, because all prophecies will have been fulfilled. Tongues will cease (Paul could have meant this in the sense of ecstatic utterances ‘under the Spirit’ or speaking in languages other than our native tongue). We won’t need tongues because we will know and understand a common language, and it will be full of love and rejoicing. Knowledge, which we seem to be forever pursuing here, will pass away, for then “we shall know, even as also we are known” (I Cor. 13:12b). Can you imagine the delight of knowing, as well as understanding, all one needs and wants to know? No struggling to “figure something out.” All the puzzles will be solved.
Here it is possible for us to know, to prophecy, and to love only partially, imperfectly at best. But when Perfect Love (Jesus Christ, the Returning King) comes to receive the faithful unto Himself, all that has been partial and a foretaste will be made perfect and everlasting.
Prayer: Father, thank You for loving me, unworthy though I am to receive Your love. Thank you for earthly love and for the opportunity to love You, and to share Your love with others. May I practice unconditional love to others so that what is begun here may continue into eternity. Amen.
c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Thursday, February 18, 2010
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