Those Things That Abide.

Those Things That Abide: 
By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe
1 Corinthians 13:13 (NKJV) 

13  And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
    We are familiar with the scripture.  We often quote it, but we are living in times that make us question our faith, lose our hope and find it difficult to love.   In the past months we have been bombarded with a metaphorical fiscal cliff, with the threats that our second amendment rights will be taken away, with the knowledge that our government is nearly bankrupt, and with the reality that seeds sown into a culture of violence have grown into the ugly truth that no matter how many safety precautions are in place, our schools are no longer safe.  In the midst of our chaos, our heavenly Father continues to assure us that three things abide: faith, hope and love.  

    Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world"  (John 16:32-33 NKJV).  Even though many Christians do not realize it, we are on the winning team.  “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.  For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:3-5 NKJV).  Spiritually, we overcome the trials of this world when we walk in faith in the knowledge that we are loved by the One who created the universe and seeks the best for our lives.

    In Romans 8: 37-39, the Apostle Paul expresses that faith.  “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (NKJV)

    Paul wrote to Timothy saying that the Lord Jesus Christ is our hope (1Timothy 1:1). In his book, Totally Saved, Dr. Tony Evans explains, "We have lasting hope through the salvation we have in Christ ... Hope means that even when it looks like it's all over, it's not all over yet. That's why the Bible says we can rejoice even in our tribulations. God is working in our hard times to produce proven character and hope in us." 

    Because of the love of God, and because God is love, no matter how bleak the world around us seems to be, we can walk in faith and hope.  Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away”  (Mark 13:30-31 NKJV).  We can stand firmly in the knowledge that His word says that even when all things in this worldly realm pass away,  faith, hope and love will abide.