Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
August 28, 2022
Read Romans 12:9-21
9 Love should be shown without pretending. Hate evil, and hold on to what is good. 10 Love each other like the members of your family. Be the best at showing honor to each other. 11 Don’t hesitate to be enthusiastic—be on fire in the Spirit as you serve the Lord! 12 Be happy in your hope, stand your ground when you’re in trouble, and devote yourselves to prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of God’s people, and welcome strangers into your home. 14 Bless people who harass you—bless and don’t curse them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and cry with those who are crying. 16 Consider everyone as equal, and don’t think that you’re better than anyone else. Instead, associate with people who have no status. Don’t think that you’re so smart. 17 Don’t pay back anyone for their evil actions with evil actions, but show respect for what everyone else believes is good. 18 If possible, to the best of your ability, live at peace with all people. 19 Don’t try to get revenge for yourselves, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath. It is written, Revenge belongs to me; I will pay it back, says the Lord. 20 Instead, If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. By doing this, you will pile burning coals of fire upon his head. 21 Don’t be defeated by evil, but defeat evil with good.
Good morning! Defeat evil with good!
Paul begins Chapter 12 by asking us how we should respond to the mercy that God has shown us. 1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
If we were going to summarize this answer, we would say love honestly, do what is good, pray, be joyful, be happy, bless one another, humble yourself before others, and live at peace with all people. Hmmm . . . This sounds like a perfect recipe for a wonderful life. So what is different from these ideas from how we live our lives?
Sometimes we become consumed with those ideas in opposition to Paul’s list because we are distracted by those who live their lives without God. We pretend to love, we harbor ill-feelings of others, we forget to pray, when we serve God we do it out of obligation, not joy, and we think we are better than those around us.
Jesus gave his life so that all who call him Lord might have eternal life. Our time on this earth should be rooted in our response to this gift and we must work to bring as many to the faith as possible. God is merciful and blesses all those who answer the call: Come to me.
Gracious God, Thank You for loving us. We are grateful for our blessings and Your mercy. Forgive us when we fail to respond with grateful hearts. Help us become the beings that you created. Thank You. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: Today I will display love in action to those I encounter.
Love God! Love One Another! Pastor Liz
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