Tuesday, February 14, 2012

A MORE Excellent Way


This is the last line uttered in 1 Corinthians 12,  the precursor to 1 Corinthians 13, widely known as the love chapter. In Chapter 12, Paul speaks of various spiritual gifts in the body (i.e. the Church) and how even though we are different we all need each other to function properly. There are many gifts but they are all given by the same Spirit. He uses the analogy of the body to demonstrate how we all work together. At the end of the chapter, he tells the Corinthians to covet earnestly the best gifts - a more excellent way.  In a spiritual sense, the thing that binds us together is love which is generated by His Spirit.

What Paul is saying is that love, true love in all its facets is greater than all the many things that we are each gifted with.  Our gifts mean nothing without love. Love emanates from the heart, it's a conscious decision; it's not always easy but we know love works, love covers a multitude of sins, love heals, love sacrifices.  This song "Love Is a More Excellent Way" reminds us that we should aim for excellence for without love we are nothing.




Love is a More Excellent Way

Verse 1 
I could speak with the tongue of men and angels 
Love is the more excellent way 
But if I don't have love, I'm just a clanging cymbal 
Love is the more excellent way 
I could have the faith to remove the mountains 
Love is the more excellent way 
But if I don't have love then I have nothing 
Love is the more excellent way 

Chorus 
Love is patient, Love is kind 
Love is Humble, all of the time 
Not easily angered, enduring the test 
So never forget 
Love is the more excellent way (unison) 

Verse 2 
I could have the gift of prophecy 
Love is the more excellent way 
But if I don't have love, does it profit me? 
Love is the more excellent way 
I could understand all my mystery 
Love is the more excellent way 
But if I don't have love it's not enough you see 
Love is the more excellent way 

(Chorus) 

Verse 3 
I could throw my body into the flames 
Love is the more excellent way 
But if I don't have love, I don't have anything 
Love is the more excellent way 
I could give to the poor everything I own 
Love is the more excellent way 
But a heart without love is just a heart of stone 
Love is the more excellent way



Let's strive to be loving in every area of our lives - at work with our grumpy co-workers, at home with our spouses and children, within God's family at church, or wherever we may be, so that the world can know we are different by the love we show.

Love is a MORE excellent way. Strive for excellence. Have you experienced this love?

2 comments:

  1. what a beautiful song! love is the Excellent way indeed!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is one of my favorite songs. I even heard it done in Russian when we lived there. Yes, love is the more excellent way!

    ReplyDelete

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