Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 274 – Romans 12:9-13 – Really Love Them – Growing As Disciples
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. Romans 12:9-13 (NLT)
My Love
I have heard you say many times that you want to be like me. You want to follow my example. You want to think, and speak, and act like me. You want to live as I lived. You want to do what I did. You also want to be able to know and do my will. Is all this true? Have I heard you correctly? Yes, it is true. Yes, you have heard me correctly. I would give me great joy to know that I am living a life that is pleasing to you. I want nothing more than to be able to know and do your will. That’s good.
There should be no mystery for you in knowing my will. You cannot go wrong if you follow my example. If you love like I loved, served like I served, and give like I gave, you will be living in the center of my will. You will be living a life that is good and right and true and pleasing to me. That’s great. There is one problem, however. What’s that? Loving like you loved or serving like you served or giving like you gave does not come easily or automatically to me. Loving others deeply and genuinely from my heart will require hard work and my very best efforts. That is true, you are correct. There is nothing wrong with working hard and giving your very best efforts. Of that, I have no doubt. There is something else of which, I have no doubt. What’s that?
My own hard work and my very best efforts to love others will fail miserably without your help. Are you speaking from the voice of experience? You know that I am. It is a very good thing that you are willing to acknowledge your shortcomings and inabilities. Here is a secret. You have my full attention. I don’t want you to love others with your love. I want my love to flow in and through you. I want you to love others with my love. I want my love flowing through you to draw others to me. I want my love being lived out in and through you to shine brightly in the darkness of this world. Will you allow my love to flow in and through you? Will you love others with my love? Will you allow me to help you to love like I loved, serve like I served, and give like I gave? Yes Lord, I will. That will be very good.
Lord, loving others deeply and genuinely from the heart does not come easily and automatically. I know that loving others just as you have loved me will require hard work and my very best efforts. Help me to follow your example of loving, giving, and serving. Amen
Key Question… When has loving others required some very hard work on your part?
Living It Out… Make every effort to love others deeply and genuinely from your heart.
Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will help you to love others just as He loves you.
Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are loving others deeply and genuinely from your heart.
Prayer To Bless Others… May you follow the Lord’s example by loving others deeply and genuinely from your heart.
For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:
Promises – Day 274 – Romans 12-9-13 – Really Love Them – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide
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