It was summertime in Florida in 1996, and the heat index was over 100 degrees. I had been working in a hot and dirty shop all day when I came home from work, physically exhausted. It wasn’t just the physical exhaustion I was experiencing; I was feeling spiritually dry and depleted, which made me a bit short-tempered and agitated.
I had recently taken in a few struggling Christian brothers who needed a place to stay, and their presence in my home had encroached on my personal space, my devotion time, and my rapidly diminishing patients. They were constantly asking me for advice and wanting to talk to me about everything in the world I didn’t care about.
I was getting frustrated. I was used to living alone, and now it seemed like I couldn’t get any private time with the Lord in my own house. It was bothering me more than I would care to admit, and I was becoming a little bitter toward my Christian brothers.
In hindsight, I would not have been feeling this way had I not let my personal devotions continue to slip.
On this particular day, after working in the torturous heat, I pulled into the front driveway and parked my car. I walked up to the front door and took a deep breath, bracing myself against the oncoming barrage of questions that had become the norm over the past few weeks.
I opened the door and was almost knocked over by the complete silence in my home. The guys were gone. I didn’t know where and didn’t care. I was overwhelmed by the relief I felt. My heart jumped at the realization that I finally had time to myself.
I didn’t even take the time to shower because I feared they would come home before I finished. I desperately needed to be alone with the Lord and did not want to miss this golden opportunity. So, I threw my keys on the table, plopped down on the couch with my Bible, and looked up to Heaven. With every bit of faith I could muster, I prayed these words; “Lord, show me something cool in Your word.” I wasn’t prepared for what followed.
Immediately, God spoke to me so clearly and remarkably that it wouldn’t have been any clearer had I heard His audible voice. He said, “What would you like to know, Jack?”
With those words resonating inside me, realizing that God had just spoken to me with a clarity that I had rarely experienced, I was gripped with an overwhelming sense of responsibility that is hard to explain. Somehow, God caused me to know that I could ask Him anything in the world for this moment in time, and He would bless me with a clear and definite answer.
The fear of the Lord was suddenly on me. I felt His overwhelming presence. I didn’t want to blow this extraordinary opportunity, so my mind began to race with thoughts of what I should ask. At first, I tried to think of questions that great theologians had argued over for centuries. Then, my mind wandered to stupid questions about dinosaurs, life on other planets, aliens, and similar foolishness.
I caught myself and physically shook my head, trying to jar that nonsense from my thinking. I realized I didn’t have a clue what to ask. It was too much; I didn’t feel qualified to answer Him. The responsibility was too great. I feared I would ask the wrong thing and blow this fantastic opportunity.
Finally, I said, “Father, I want You to tell me what You think I need to know the most.” I barely got the words out when He spoke again in that clear, powerful voice: “1 Corinthians 13.”
I had my Bible in hand and quickly started flipping to that passage when I realized it was the chapter on Love. I looked toward Heaven, smiled, and said, “You got me!”
Of course, it’s love! What else could it be? To know love is to know God. He answered my simple prayer to show me something cool in His word. Love is the coolest thing we can ever learn. God had made His point clear.
When I finally reached 1 Corinthians 13 and was about to read it, God spoke again. He instructed me to get my Amplified Bible and read it as I saw it for the first time. I had the original Amplified Bible, now called “the Amplified Bible Classic Edition. “It was the first Bible I ever owned. It was given to me in 1988 by the people who led me to the Lord.
I obeyed the Lord’s instruction and slowly read through this version of the Bible, which contains exhaustive and very descriptive language.
For those unfamiliar with the translation, here is the whole chapter, as seen in the AMPC version.
1 Corinthians 13 (AMPC) If I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such as is inspired by God’s love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose) and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains but have not love (God’s love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody). 3 Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or in order that I may glory, but have not love (God’s love in me), I gain nothing. 4 Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. 5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. 6 It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. 7 Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. 8 Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth]. 9 For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect).
10 But when the complete and perfect (total) comes, the incomplete and imperfect will vanish away (become antiquated, void, and superseded). 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside. 12 For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly), but then I shall know and understand fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been fully and clearly known and understood [by God]. 13 And so faith, hope, love abide [faith—conviction and belief respecting man’s relation to God and divine things; hope—joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love—true affection for God and man, growing out of God’s love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love.
I tasted every word and chewed on them thoughtfully, allowing the scriptures to strengthen and inspire me. It truly felt like I was seeing this passage with new eyes, with a fresh perspective. As I finished the chapter, I knew God was watching me. I was about to close the Bible and meditate on what had just happened and what I had just read when the Lord said, “Don’t stop there; read the next verse.” And here it is.
1 Corinthians 14:1 (AMPC) Eagerly pursue and seek to acquire [this] love [make it your aim, your great quest]; and earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual endowments (gifts), especially that you may prophesy (interpret the divine will and purpose in inspired preaching and teaching).
It was one of the most life-changing and profound encounters I have ever had with the Lord. I knew then that I was ignorant in the love department. I also knew I was not alone.
This was one of the encounters that set me on a path to understanding and pursuing love. The journey has been rewarding and fruitful. Now, my heart’s desire is to teach others what the Lord has taught me by sharing my journey. I hope people will learn from my relationship with the Lord and the mistakes I’ve made so their pursuit of love will be easier, their path a little straighter, and their understanding a little better.
JESUS IS COMING!
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