Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with th

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
Romans 12:9-13:1

Dear God, the verse today was 13:1. I assume because we are closing in on the US election. It’s an interesting one. I’ve always thought it was interesting that Paul had this attitude since he committed a lot of civil disobedience to not the local church authority as well. He died for it. It made me want to go back and look at what he was talking about right before he said this. What was the context?

Wow, the way I have it above where I don’t do any paragraph breaks and just make it all part of one thought is fascinating. The whole tone becomes about just living out the fruits of your Spirit. Love others. Serve others. Obey the governing authorities. It’s all just part of me living out the two most important commands. It’s all just part of me living out Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount.

Father, help me to live out the Sermon on the Mount this week. That starts with me worshipping you. Then I will start loving others. Then I will start being a peacemaker and merciful. Then I will stop lusting and coveting. Then I will have faith that you will provide. I can go all of the way through the Sermon. But you get my point. I will find myself just living out the faith I have in you. And if worshipping you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength and loving my neighbor as myself gets me into trouble (which it rarely will, but it might), then so be it. Help me to share this message with others in my very small sphere of influence this week as they start to get concerned about the election results, regardless of who their chosen candidates are. Basically, for what you’re calling me to do, the only thing that makes who the winner is matter is if I am in a position to love someone in my immediate sphere of influence who is directly affected by their policy as a result. Otherwise, I am simply called to both of these things. Oh, how I do, truly, love you.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen