#3 Romans 12:9-13

So I set out to write this days ago....only it got deleted before I finished....and at the time my thoughts were a jumbled mess...now many days later and a little frustration at myself for not staying on top of this challenge I am back to write #3...especially since I accomplished the task days ago.....

The challenge this time was to memorize Romans 12:9-13. “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer, contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Well I am simply horrible at memorization....especially in the week when I also have to memorize 5 other verses for VBS. So this was a challenge for me in more ways than one.

While I was memorizing these verses, I began to really read what it said, instead of just letting it become rote. I love the language that Paul uses here, words like genuine, and abhor, and outdo, and zeal. God is truly calling us to live radical lives.

If you look at this in the view of relationship, God is calling us to live very different lives, particularly in our relationships, than the world around lives. He says that first and foremost our love must be genuine. Anything less is not something that God has called us to and we should not even be having those relationships where love is not real and honest: genuine. The second line God says to ABHOR what is evil. I feel like this is interesting wording, particularly if you apply it to the relationships in your life. I mean how many times do I really stand up for what is wrong/evil. The dominant view of relationships is messed up and there are many elements of them that are sinful and wrong and God calls us to abhor those things, not just sit by and watch them happen. In our relationships we are to love one another with brotherly affection which is to not lead each other on, or lead others into sin, we are to OUTDO one another in the honor that we show. In a way its almost as if He is saying to be above the status quo. We are to show ZEAL. Be FERVENT. REJOICE in hope. Be PATIENT in hard things. Be CONSTANT in prayer. HELP others needs. And show HOSPITALITY.

And all of these things if done right and done well in our relationships will give all the glory and all the honor to where it is supposed to be- on God, to the praise of the glory of His grace.