“In this life we have three great lasting qualities – faith, hope, and love.  But the greatest of them is love” (I Corinthians 13:13, J.B. Phillips).

     Several years ago, my father was approached by a member of the church he served. I’ll call her Darlene. Darlene sat down in my father’s office and spoke:

Gene, I want you to know that I am leaving the church. It’s not because of what you or anyone else in the church has done. I’m leaving the church because I am having an affair with another man. My marriage has been so miserable these past few years. My husband has treated me so horribly. But I’ve found a man who cares for me. He makes me feel loved. I’m so alive when I’m with him. Please understand that I haven’t lost my faith in Jesus. Yet, I can’t remain in the church and have an affair at the same time.

Dad replied, “Darlene, you couldn’t be more wrong. You have lost faith in Jesus. Not only do you not trust him to restore your marriage, but you also don’t trust that Jesus’ love for you is enough.”

     In 1 Corinthians 13, the Apostle Paul claimed that faith is critical for any relationship. But, without love faith is impossible. Our ability to trust is directly connected to capacity to acknowledge and receive love. Darlene did not trust Jesus simply because she did not recognize the love Jesus has for her.

     This is what I know. Jesus died because he couldn’t stand the thought of being apart from you. Jesus shed his blood so that your sin would no longer separate you from him. It wasn’t the Sanhedrin that caused Jesus to die. It wasn’t Pilate that sent Jesus to the cross. It was love—Jesus’ love for you.

     To be sure, the world will turn its back on you. Friends and family will eventually let you down. Yet Jesus’ love, you can trust. Jesus is the one person you can always count on.