As we begin, close your eyes.

Turn your palms upward in a receiving posture.

And listen to these extraordinary words from 1 Corinthians, chapter 13, love is large and incredibly patient.

Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. Love refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else.

Love does not brag about one's achievements, nor inflate its own importance.

Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seeks its own honor.

Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense.

Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong.

Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others.

Love never takes failure as defeat, for love never gives up. Love never stops loving. I want you to listen to those last four words again. Love never stops loving.

Just hearing those words allows you to understand even the meaning of this passage.

What comes into focus is that this is not a description of a concept or merely a definition

of a word. This is clearly a description of a person. Love never stops loving.

With your eyes still close, accepting and letting in this extraordinary definition of love,

I want to say this to you, Jesus never stops loving you.

That phrase has the capacity and ability to dramatically transform how we see ourselves and how we see the world we live in.

Love never stops loving.

I want us to make three statements together as a point of prayer and even declaration about

this extraordinary love which we have as a gift from God.

Repeat this after me.

God, and thank you, you are gentle with me.

God, you are my safe place.

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