Let Your Love be Real

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Scripture: Romans 12:9-13 (NLT)

9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

Devotion:

            In this passage, Paul gives thirteen exhortations to the church at Corinth. I suppose it is possible that an interpreter could make them into thirteen full length sermons pretty easily. However, that is not my desire here. I want to simply examine these sayings, individually and together to give us the big idea that Paul is trying to convey to us as modern readers of this letter.

            Our passage begins with the statement that our love for others must be real. Who, in this context, is Paul speaking about? Is he referring just to fellow believers or to all others that we meet every day? The context seems to point to our fellow believers here. Since in verse thirteen he specifies that he is talking about our brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul is emphatic about this command to love one another in verse nine. He states and then restates his point. He urges hatred for the wrong, the Greek word here is ponēros which can be translated as evil or wicked.

            Verse ten explains in more detail what the practical outworking of our love for each other is to look like. The Greek word for love in this verse is Philadelphia meaning brotherly love. Paul is adamant that we should treat our brothers and sisters in the Lord with all the love and respect he can find words to express.

            Paul continues with the same theme in verse eleven. Exhorting the Roman church members to not be lazy but to work diligently so that the church may be built up. The Christians at Rome were to serve the Lord with enthusiasm. This could be a word to the modern church. So often we see people in our churches who just go through the motions without any energy or enthusiasm. We have the awesome privilege to serve the God who created the universe and everything in it, including us. We must use energy and skill to worship the Lord excellently and enthusiastically.

            Our passage concludes with a series of exhortations aimed at making life in the church better for all. We are to rejoice, be patient, pray constantly, help others in need, and practice hospitality. All for the building up of our local church. Help us now to pray that the Lord will be with us as we seek to build his kingdom here on earth.

Prayer:

            Dear Lord, we come before your heavenly throne confessing that we have not always loved your people in the way we are told to in this passage from your Holy Bible. Forgive us Lord. Please help us to love one another in ways that are pleasing to you. Help us when our enthusiasm for your work fades. Help us to encourage one another in our walk with you as often as we meet together. Let us serve one another and meet each other’s needs. Amen.

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