Love - The grace of God

1 Corinthians 13:4-5 (NIV)
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

In these verses the apostle provides some properties and effects of love. Love is grace to others. It is an excellent grace, and has a world of good properties belonging to it.

 

Gordon Yeager, 94, married his wife, Norma, 90, on the day she graduated from high school in 1939, according to affiliate KCCI. Seventy-two years later, still inseparable, the two got in the car for a trip into town. That’s where this tragic, but oddly sweet, story starts. They got into an accident and had to be rushed to the hospital. Their children say they were put in the same hospital room, and when it looked like things might not improve, they clasped hands.

Gordon Yeager passed away at 3:38 p.m. He was still holding his wife’s hand. His son Dennis said he was confused at first, because his father’s heart monitor was still registering a heartbeat. The nurse explained that his wife’s heart was still beating, and the beat was being transferred to him through her hand.

At 4:38 p.m., exactly one hour later, Norma passed away, surrounded by family. The couple's daughter Donna told KCCI the family actually felt blessed that their parents died together. Neither of them would have wanted to live without the other, she said. They believed in marriage “‘til death do you part,” said Dennis.

[Source  HLNtv.com, Staff, updated 12:21 PM EDT, Fri October 21, 2011]

Love extends grace in a way that is hard to understand. For love will patiently wait in kindness. Love does not envy another, but accepts them. Loves doesn’t boast that one is better than another. Love gives up pride allowing one to say they are sorry and to correct wrongs that have been made. Love doesn’t try to harm, look for what self will obtain, not easily angered and definitely keeps no wrong. Love is grace that is lived out.

Obviously this couple knew the meaning of love. They loved until death and that is a legacy they leave for their children to think about. Love is a special grace God gives to all of us; we just need to remember to use it.