Pursue Love

This morning, as I was walking to the bus stop after sending J to school, I saw a vision of a seal rotating a colourful ball. Out of this colourful ball flows all kinds of gifts.

I heard God saying, "Focus on love and all other gifts will flow." I replied, "Scriptures, please." Because if I can't find it in Scriptures, I will be careful in what I hear.

The Holy Spirit revealed...

But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way. - 1 Cor 12:31

Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. - 1 Cor 14:1

We all know that 1 Cor 13 is smacked right in between 1 Cor 12 and 14, because Love is the right motive when it comes to operation of spiritual gifts.

1 Cor 12:31 says, "...earnestly desire the best [greater] gifts. And yet I show you a MORE EXCELLENT WAY." (emphasis added)

In other words, there are many ways to operate in gifts. But the best way to operate in gifts is to LOVE. You can operate in gifts without loving, but you can't love without operating in gifts.

According to Paul, there are greater gifts. It doesn't mean that one gift is exalted above the other. The word 'greater' is defined by Thayer's Greek Lexicon as "more useful, more serviceable."

Which gift is more useful and more serviceable? We let Scriptures interpret Scriptures.

Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but ESPECIALLY that you may PROPHESY. - 1 Cor 14:1 (emphasis added)

According to Paul, prophecy is the "greater" gift. It is more useful and more serviceable. Thus, we are to DESIRE to PROPHESY. 

Wait a minute... "Paul, isn't the gift of working of miracles a greater and better gift? Isn't the gift of faith that moves mountain a greater and better gift?"

Well, the truth is... if we simply prophesy people INTO their IDENTITY, then working of miracles and faith are simply by-products of identity. This is why prophecy is the greater gift. It builds up one another. It stirs someone to be who he is created to be - the image of God.

Putting both passages together, we see Love as our pursuit.

But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I SHOW you a more excellent way. - 1 Cor 12:31 (emphasis added)

PURSUE LOVE, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. - 1 Cor 14:1 (emphasis added)

The most excellent way to operate in gifts is LOVE. While it is honourable to desire spiritual gifts, we are called to pursue love. Desiring is the position of the heart. But pursuing is about becoming. You can desire to be loving yet not pursuing to become love.

The goal of our pursuit is to become Love. When we focus on Love, all other gifts will flow. So let the main thing remain the main thing. Love. #walktobusstoprevelation