Life of Love

Devotions

Friday, September 12, 2008

Reading:

NLT Romans 13:8 Pay all your debts, except the debt of love for others. You can never finish paying that! If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill all the requirements of God's law. 9 For the commandments against adultery and murder and stealing and coveting-- and any other commandment-- are all summed up in this one commandment: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no wrong to anyone, so love satisfies all of God's requirements.

11 Another reason for right living is that you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for the coming of our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So don't live in darkness. Get rid of your evil deeds. Shed them like dirty clothes. Clothe yourselves with the armor of right living, as those who live in the light. 13 We should be decent and true in everything we do, so that everyone can approve of our behavior. Don't participate in wild parties and getting drunk, or in adultery and immoral living, or in fighting and jealousy. 14 But let the Lord Jesus Christ take control of you, and don't think of ways to indulge your evil desires.


Meditation

Literal: Paul is outlining two main motivations for living a godly life. The first is the best. That is love. We love in response to God’s love. The Holy Spirit pours out the love of God in our hearts by speaking to us of the work and person of Jesus Christ. As we see Him and His sacrifice for our sins then we love Him in light of how much He has loved us. The more we recognize the magnitude of our own forgiveness the more we love and the more we love the more we consistently keep the commandments of God. As we become love incarnate like Jesus we do no wrong to anyone.

The second motivation for living a godly life is that either Jesus is coming to us soon or we are going to Jesus soon. We live in the light that the second coming could come any day or we could die any day. Every day takes us closer to our ultimate encounter with God. We are only a breath away from judgment day. It is appointed for every person to die and then comes the judgment. We should be concerned about the people who might be brought in as witnesses of our behavior on judgment day and therefore live consistently before all people. Every decision we make we should make in the light of explaining it on the Day of Judgment. While our justification on that day relies totally on Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, our ability to give God glory and be rewarded for eternity depends on being able to give a good report before the judge on that day. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and Paul calls us not to take judgment day lightly. Our goal should be to be controlled by the Spirit of Jesus the righteous one and not the spirit of sinful Adam.

Christological: Our love for God depends on our understanding of how great our salvation is in Jesus Christ. Paul has spent eleven chapters pointing to the grace of God found in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection before he calls upon us to love. Those who know they have been given abundant grace and huge forgiveness will love Jesus freely and spontaneously. Jesus is our prophet, priest, and king. We are accountable to Him. We must give a report of our life to Him. If we value that relationship then we will strive to please Him in all we do.

Moral: Augustine said: “Love God and live as you please”. He could have added that if you love God you will live as God pleases.

Eternal: Standing before the judgment seat of Christ should rule every attitude, thought, word, and deed that we produce during this life. Only those who are heavenly minded are any earthly good.
“It may be that the day of judgment will dawn tomorrow; in that case we will gladly stop working toward a better future. But not before.”
– Dietrich Bonhoeffer


Prayer: Holy Spirit show me Jesus more and more today. In the light of His love make fill me with love. Amen.

Contemplation: Prepare yourself!

Action: Let me find ways to help the victims in Haiti due to the hurricane and attempt to show the love of Christ in all my actions this day.