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Written by Kara Benson, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Little Rock, Arkansas
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” – Luke 10:27
What does it mean to love God?
A few elements come to mind...
Obedience. “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me” (John 14:21). If we love the Lord, we will obey him. 1 John 4:18 teaches us, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” Why? The second half of the verse answers, “because fear has to do with punishment.” If we are living in obedience to God, we have no reason to fear! We don’t have to be afraid of impending judgment for our repented sins or agonize over our future inevitable errors because God sent his Son to take our place. God’s perfect love provided a way to drive out our fear. We can rest assuredly and live confidently in the peace of a right relationship with the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. And if we truly love God, then we will want to obey him – not from fear of punishment, but from the heart.
Pursuit. “I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands” (Ps. 119:10). There is a difference between having warm feelings for someone and being madly in love. When we are in love with someone, we will stay up late to talk with them, think of them throughout the day, and set aside special time to spend with them. We delight in learning details about them, miss them when we are apart, and eagerly anticipate being reunited. Psalm 63:1 says, “Earnestly I seek you, my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” Is this our attitude about spending time with our Lord?
Overflow. “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matt. 5:14). When you love someone deeply, others notice. Your love for that person is so great, it often overflows into everyday conversation. Grandmas love sharing photos of their grandkids. Engaged couples often begin sentences with, “My fiancée...” New parents can’t seem to stop talking about their kids. “For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). Do others see and hear evidence of our love for God?
What does it mean to love others?
The world asserts that to love someone means you must accept or approve of everything they believe or do. However, true love is seeking the best interest of someone else, as we see in Philippians 2. We love others by serving, comforting, encouraging, and challenging them to grow. If we see someone in sin without trying to help, how can we say we truly love them? James 5:19-20 states, “Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” Putting someone’s long-term good above our own temporary comfort is an act of love; their eternal soul is more important than forgoing an awkward conversation or keeping a superficial peace.
Love is patient, kind, and forgiving. This can be hard. This is where we can easily mess up. If we are not patient, kind, and forgiving in our communication, then our message is ruined. May the Lord give us wisdom to discern the right timing and the right words. Our heart must be right. We must be honest and willing to confess our own sins as well. Looking back, I am thankful for those who have loved me enough to show me what I needed to change.
Our love matters. Galatians 6:10 teaches, “do good to everyone, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” While we are called to be slaves to all (1 Cor. 9:19, Mk. 10:44), we have a special calling to love and serve our family in Christ. Hebrews 6:10 says, “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” I absolutely love this verse! Every time we help someone, every time we serve... God sees. God knows. God remembers. Sisters, it’s all worth it! Our love matters.
When we love God and love others, we are fulfilling the first and second greatest commandments. How are you showing a love for God and a love for others, especially His people, in your daily life?
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When I read Romans 12:9-21, I sigh and long for a world in which this text is lived out. These practical, specific instructions of how to live love involve a conscious commitment to put others before ourselves.
Today, I invite you into my own prayer, based on this text.
9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.
Heavenly Father, may I be so filled with your love that my life is an outpouring of that love. Help me to hate what you hate and long for your goodness—not whatever I think might be good.
10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
My sisterly affection sometimes does not extend beyond those I am comfortable loving. Help me to celebrate and honor the beauty that You see in others.
11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.
The world is turned a bit upside down right now and the ways in which I have enjoyed fervently serving in the past have been stripped away. May the zealous, fervent fire of Your Spirit continue to burn in me, leading me to serve You and serve others in different, but awesome ways. No act of service is too small, and it is not a competition. Help me remember that.
12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Hope. What a word! Hope is transformative. Hope is uplifting. Hope keeps us going when the trials and tribulations seem never-ending. Help me to be a beacon of hope that points others to You, the ultimate source of hope. May I remember that you offer Light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks for the reminder that when I am constant in prayer, I continue to see hope.
13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
Hospitality, Lord? How do I show hospitality during a pandemic? Your Son embodied hospitality though He never had a home in which to invite others. He went where the people were and met their needs. Help me to see others’ needs with Your eyes and seek out ways to continue to show hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
Believe it or not, not everyone likes me. Not everyone agrees with my opinion. But is that the extent of the persecution I am feeling right now, Lord? It’s humbling to realize that there are those that face true, brutal persecution, even within their own families. May you pour out such blessings on those individuals that they are led to repentance from their persecution.
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
And when there is repentance, may I rejoice instead of falling into the trap of the older brother of Your prodigal son (Luke 15). May I be willing to get uncomfortable and weep alongside those who are broken and weeping. And then, when you bring us back to a place of rejoicing, may the party be such that others long to join in the celebration!
16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.
Harmony comes through unity in You. It does not depend on me, nor my way of doing things. My view of the problem, and even my view of the solution, may not be the best. God, You’ve got this. Help me to listen to Your wisdom and to hear the voice and perspective of others.
17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.
Are my actions and intentions honorable?
18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
Am I doing what I can, when and how I can? Or am I only making a minimal effort?
19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
Thank You for being our Avenger, Defender, Redeemer, Comforter... Please help me trust You and Your timing.
20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Who is my enemy, Lord? And how can I serve him?
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Father God, You are good. May I cling to You and Your goodness. In You and through You, evil has already been overcome through the sacrifice of Your Son. It is in His name that I lift up these prayers in humble thanksgiving for sharing with us these words through the apostle Paul.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.